A YEAR FOR

ADAPTATION
Before you read any further, you should know that this is not a trend report. In many ways, these emerging shifts represent the new faces of survivalism
It does not highlight the latest TikTok challenges (they would be irrelevant by the time in a rapidly changing and increasingly chaotic world. And as history tells us,
this was published anyhow), nor does it cover the hot new aesthetics or here-today- to survive you must adapt. That’s why we believe 2024 is a year not for rapid
gone-tomorrow fads. Instead, at Backslash, we focus on the deeper cultural shifts innovation, but for adaptation. Because in many cases, we already have the
that have the scale and longevity to help brands gain a greater share of the future. answers to today’s biggest problems. It has become abundantly clear that
And those shifts don’t renew themselves on an annual basis just because the calendar we need to consume less, repair and recycle more, work hand-in-hand with
said so. With that in mind, our 2024 Edge glossary offers a refreshed look at major vulnerable and underrepresented groups to design for their needs, get back
global cultural shifts—taking a nuanced dive into the manifestations and tensions that to IRL connection, and give people complete autonomy over their bodies
are changing their trajectory. and their data, among many other things. For businesses, the big challenge
now is putting these solutions into action and pulling the right levers to
This year, we debut five new Edges that offer encouraging solutions to the thornier change habits at scale—focusing on incentivizing positive behaviors as much
realities on the horizon. Realities like the need for protections against extreme as selling products.
weather (pg. 62), the need to hold onto our humanness in the age of personal AI
(pg. 65), the need to reimagine tourism (pg. 122) and mobility (pg. 101) at scale, and We hope our Edges serve as a blueprint for adapting to the inevitable twists
the need to reinspire hope as end-of-times thinking takes root (pg. 41). and turns that lie ahead. Not just in 2024, but in the many years to come.

This is an independent research report by TBWA. None of the entities or individuals referenced herein has endorsed or otherwise participated in this report.
WHAT 01
IS AN
Edges must be rooted in human values, be recognizable through
consumer behaviors, and lead to clear business implications.

EDGE? 02
Cultural shifts must have sustained relevance for over a year
before being declared an Edge, and should continue to matter
for the foreseeable future.

EDGE / ’ej / noun

A meaningful cultural shift that has the
03
Edges must be globally relevant, manifesting in over half
scale and longevity to propel a brand
toward a greater share of the future. of Backslash-designated regions.
TABLE
Artificial Creativity 11 Liquid Reality 74
Body Debates 14 Mind Maintenance 77
Circular Aftermarkets 17 Money Out Loud 80
Climate Credit 20 Mood Geisting 83

OF
Connection Quest 23 Neo-Collectivism 86
Conscious Convenience 26 Next-Gen Naturalists 89
Counter Cancel 29 Odd-ysseys 92
Crisis Hacking 32 Optimized Anatomy 95
Data Rush 35 Platform Politics 98

CONTE-
Death Undone 38 Rerouted* 101
Demise Duality* 41 Rewild Resilience 104
Future Utopias 44 Roots Revival 107
Gap Collapse 47 Sexual Liberation 110
Gender Rules 50 Stability Pursuit 113

NTS
Health Hedonism 53 Stealth Mode 116
Helicopter Tech 56 Unglossed 119
Inclusive by Design 59 Untourism* 122
Inclement Armor* 62 Wealth Hacking 125
Intimate AI* 65 Work-Life Boundaries 128
Kinder Cult 68 Zero Out 131
Lab-Made World 71

* = New for 2024

Culture drives technology, and technology drives culture. That’s why
this year, we worked hand-in-hand with TBWA’s global innovation
practice, NEXT, to show how cultural shifts are both born from and
elevated by technology.

Each Edge has been tagged with the Emerging Technologies that we
believe will unlock the greatest opportunities for innovation. These
are not all inclusive, but rather should serve as a starting point that
inspires new ways to activate each Edge.

Complete definitions for all Emerging Technologies can be found in

the appendix on pages 134-135. To learn more about how NEXT turns
intel into action, visit tbwa.com/next/.
This year, we are proud to introduce proprietary data powered by
TBWA’s Disruption Index—an industry-first data product spanning
29 countries. The Disruption Index allows us to quantify the Strength,
Speed, and Spend of our 41 Edges.

Strength measures how important an Edge is to someone personally.

Speed measures velocity in the market, or how important an Edge is
to people around them. And Spend measures the percentage of
respondents that would spend more on products or services related
to a particular Edge in a particular category. Together, these metrics
show us the disruptive potential of an Edge for a specific country,
industry, or audience.

For specific inquiries about the latest Disruption Index data, please
reach out to [email protected].
 A snapshot of key Edges to watch in
countries across the globe, powered by data
from TBWA’s proprietary Disruption Index.

NIGERIA \ Mind Maintenance

With money problems as a leading cause of
stress, finance brands are in a unique position
to help close Nigeria’s mental health care gap.
→ 48% of adults would pay more or switch
UNITED STATES \ Optimized Anatomy brands for financial services that help them
Between Ozempic mania and a growing “proactively take care of their mental health.”
obsession with reverse aging, US adults are
stopping at nothing to overcome the limits of
their biology. → 71% of adults say it is important
SOUTH AFRICA \ Data Rush
to them to “optimize their body to become
As the world’s most internet-addicted
healthier, stronger, or more attractive.”
country, South Africa has much to gain
from its online footprint. Services that
allow people to own and monetize their
data will offer a sense of stability.

ARGENTINA \ Stealth Mode → 55% of adults would pay more or switch

As the country experiencing the brands for technologies that allow them to

greatest YoY increase in cyberattacks in “take back control and ownership of their

Latin America, Argentina's privacy personal data.”

paranoia is well justified. → 46% of adults BRAZIL \ Future Utopias

would pay more or switch brands for With over 16 million Brazilians living in favelas, the country is
technologies that “protect their work exploring radical approaches to transformation. → 82% of
and identity from being tracked, stolen, adults say it is important to them to “support the development
or manipulated online.” of more sustainable, livable, future-proof cities and towns.”

Source: TBWA Disruption Index Proprietary Research in 29 countries, Q1 2024 (n=13,100)

 GERMANY \ Crisis Hacking
As Germany emerges from an energy crisis, households will continue to look for ways to save
UNITED KINGDOM \ Untourism
resources while saving money. → 63% of adults say it is important to them to “make lifestyle
UK citizens are looking to leave their unfavorable “Brits
adjustments and find DIY hacks that help them respond to natural resource shortages.”
abroad” reputation behind them, opening the door to
a new market of richer, greener travel experiences.
→ 35% of adults would pay more or switch brands for
JAPAN \ Mood Geisting
travel and hospitality offerings that help them “travel
A culture known for masking emotions is
in a way that minimizes disturbances to the local
looking to go deeper. → 51% of adults say
culture, landmarks, and the environment.”
it is important to them to “find new ways
to understand and optimize their mood.”

CHINA \ Zero Out

For China’s notoriously burnt-out
workforce, the ability to tune out the
noise of the world is priceless. → 43% of
adults would pay more or switch brands
for media & entertainment that helps
SINGAPORE \ Body Debates
them “destress and simplify their life so
From sales of lab-made meat to the recent approval of elective
AUSTRALIA \ Rewild Resilience they can reconnect with themselves.”
egg freezing, discussions around body autonomy are heating up in
Rewilding projects are flourishing in Australia, coinciding
Singapore. → 52% of adults would pay more or switch brands for
with a collective embrace of Aboriginal culture. → 70% of
health and wellness offerings that help them “make decisions
adults say it is important to them to “protect biodiversity
about their body and their health in their own best interest.”
and take actions to help nature thrive.”

Source: TBWA Disruption Index Proprietary Research in 29 countries, Q1 2024 (n=13,100)

 GENERATIONS,
A single generation can propel a cultural shift forward.
Using the Disruption Index, we selected a few of the
unexpected Edges that resonated with each
generation more than any other age group.

DECODED DEATH UNDONE

60% say it is important to
NEXT-GEN NATURALISTS
74% say it is important to
HEALTH HEDONISM
86% say it is important to
BODY DEBATES
93% say it is important to
them to “break the taboo them to “learn forgotten them to “be able to make
them to “make health and
around death and be survival skills and decisions about my body
wellness an enjoyable
open to new end-of-life become more self- and my health in my own
part of my lifestyle.”
approaches.” sufficient.” best interest.”

CRISIS HACKING
MONEY OUT LOUD OPTIMIZED ANATOMY DATA RUSH
66% say it is important to
65% say it is important to 82% say it is important to 82% say it is important to
them to “make lifestyle
them to “reevaluate my them to “optimize my body them to “take back
adjustments and find DIY
relationship with money to become healthier, control and ownership of
hacks that help me
and talk about it openly.” stronger, or more my personal data.”
respond to natural
attractive.”
resource shortages.”

Gen Z is toppling taboos and redrawing Millennials are just as survivalist-savvy Gen X is the most open to pleasurable Baby Boomers are all about autonomy.
the boundaries of social norms—bringing as they are tech-savvy, proving their and experimental health hacks— From their data to their bodies,
once-private topics like money and resourcefulness and tackling dispelling ideas that the wellness personal empowerment is paramount
death into public discourse. uncertainty head-on. craze is being led by today’s youth. for this generation.

Source: TBWA Disruption Index Proprietary Research in 29 countries, Q1 2024 (n=13,100)

2024 FUTURE
UTOPIAS
REWILD
RESILIENCE
ODD-YSSEYS

EDGES UNTOURISM
MOOD
GEISTING
KINDER
CULT
GENDER
RULES

LAB-MADE INCLEMENT OPTIMIZED DATA STEALTH WORK-LIFE SEXUAL

REROUTED
WORLD ARMOR ANATOMY RUSH MODE BOUNDARIES LIBERATION

CRISIS GAP CLIMATE DEMISE BODY LIQUID HELICOPTER ZERO MIND HEALTH
UNGLOSSED
HACKING COLLAPSE CREDIT DUALITY DEBATES REALITY TECH OUT MAINTENANCE HEDONISM

STABILITY CONSCIOUS CONNECTION DEATH MONEY

INTIMATE AI
PURSUIT CONVENIENCE QUEST UNDONE OUT LOUD

WEALTH INCLUSIVE BY CIRCULAR ARTIFICIAL PLATFORM COUNTER NEO-

HACKING DESIGN AFTERMARKETS CREATIVITY POLITICS CANCEL COLLECTIVISM

NEXT-GEN ROOTS
NATURALISTS REVIVAL
AI is proving itself as a creative force to be reckoned with—pushing the boundaries
of our imagination and enabling the masses to become makers. As previously held
notions of creativity are shattered, matters of ownership, the value of human-made
vs. AI-made, and the preciousness of the creative process will continue to come
into question.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ARTIFICIAL CREATIVITY 12

“MAKE IT MORE”
ChatGPT’s “make it more” trend is pushing images to the extreme. Here’s how
“AI thrives when our need
it works: users ask ChatGPT to amp up its first draft of an image, then ask again for originality is low and
and again until the output reaches max absurdity. For example, if you ask the our demand for mediocrity
tool to create a spicy bowl of ramen, you would keep asking it to be spicier
until it’s so hot that it’s literally setting the world on fire. Other examples
is high.”
include a bodybuilder getting progressively more muscular, and a quaint scene — Ray Nayler, Time Magazine
in Switzerland becoming "more Swiss." The trend is proving that when it comes
to AI’s imagination, the limit does not exist.

COPYRIGHT CONUNDRUM
In a legal first for China, a Beijing court granted copyright protection to THE UNCREATIVE AGENCY
artwork created using AI with human guidance. Over 170,000 viewers tuned in ‘The Uncreative Agency’ is the world’s first fully automated creative agency,
to watch the livestream of the proceedings, where the court ultimately ruled powered by AI. The initiative launched last year courtesy of global creative
that AI-generated images should be legally protected “as long as they network DDB, and has since been used by some of the world’s most famous
demonstrate human originality and intellectual input.” According to the court, brands as well as leaders of the biggest ad agencies. The process is relatively
a machine cannot be considered an author since it has no free will. This straightforward: users submit a simple one-sentence brief, and the tool
decision is in stark contrast to the US, where the Copyright Office has ruled churns out a unique creative proposal in a matter of minutes—no budget
that AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted. or human input required. While the ideas generated aren’t yet award-worthy,
the tool is proving out the potential for AI to become a useful (and much more
CLASSROOM CHATBOTS affordable) partner in the creative ideation process. TEXT-TO-MUSIC
Schools and universities around the world are divided over their stance on You’ve heard of AI text-to-image and text-to-video generators. Next up: text-
ChatGPT. Some are reverting back to paper exams and handwritten essays AI-GENERATED CONTENT LABELS to-music. In May, Google released MusicLM—an experimental AI tool that
in order to prevent plagiarism, while others are leaning in and using chatbots While some platforms have flat-out banned AI-generated content, others are creates original songs based on users’ text and sound prompts. In search of
to fuel creativity and foster critical thinking skills. For those embracing the putting rules in place to ensure AI’s role is clearly called out. Both YouTube post-modern latin jazz-rap? How about chill acoustic vibes for a dinner party?
technology, use cases include asking students to critically evaluate the and TikTok now require creators to label their AI-generated content, MusicLM can do it all, homing in on requests for certain instruments, genres,
chatbot’s replies, or using ChatGPT to generate essay outlines before writing especially if it looks realistic. And over in the publishing world, Amazon is and emotions. For now, MusicLM won’t generate any songs with specific
them longhand. Teachers incorporating ChatGPT say it has helped lead requiring authors to disclose when self-published content is “AI-generated” artists or vocals in order to avoid rising concerns around deepfaked music.
to richer discussions and pushed students to think differently. And it’s not only or “AI-assisted.” Amazon’s move came after hundreds of e-books crediting That said, though, some still argue that text-to-music generators violate
students who are taking advantage. According to a 2023 survey, one-third of ChatGPT as an author flooded the site, which sparked serious backlash music copyright by “learning” from other artists’ works—a debate that could
teachers have used ChatGPT to come up with “creative ideas for classes.” among literary circles. soon be settled via several ongoing lawsuits.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ARTIFICIAL CREATIVITY 13

FUTURISTIC FLAVORS
AI may not have taste buds, but that’s not stopping companies from
WHAT’S NE T
trusting it to come up with futuristic flavors. One example comes
→ CALL IT OUT
from German beer brand Becks, which celebrated its 150-year
The use of watermarks, disclaimers, and labels will be
anniversary with the world’s first AI-made beer. The technology was
essential to clearly differentiate AI-made outputs from
not only used to generate the recipe and the name, but also to
human-made ones.
design the logo, container and advertising campaign. Similarly, Coke
leaned on AI to co-create its latest mystery flavor and understands
→ EMBRACE CO-CREATION
"how fans envision the future through emotions, aspirations, colors,
Invite fans to leverage AI to come up with your next product
flavors and more." The drink—called Coca-Cola Y3000 Zero Sugar
design, campaign, or out-of-the-box idea.
—was meant to represent what Coke would taste like if we jumped
ahead to the year 3000. But according to some critics, the flavor
→ UNLOCK EFFICIENCY
should stay in the past.
Lean on AI to take care of the mundane tasks and churn out
hundreds of content variations in an instant, so that your
DREAM PRODUCT GENERATOR
human team members can focus on the truly creative tasks.
Have an idea for what you want to purchase but don’t know where
to start your search? Google’s new shopping tool is aiming to speed
up that process by allowing users to type in a description of what
they’re looking for, then generating images of imaginary products
based on that prompt. Users can then select the AI image that’s
closest to what they’re looking for, and shop actual products that
resemble it. Beyond personalizing the online shopping experience,
search data gained from the tool could also inspire the creation
of entirely new products or designs.

80% of Americans think

presenting AI content
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

as human-made should GENERATIVE AI

be illegal. AVATAR IDENTITIES

UNTETHERED AUDIO

— AIPI Survey, 2023 EXTENDED REALITY

Our bodies are officially up for discussion—and there’s little
consensus on what’s right. As conversations around everything
from drugs to diets escalate, once-personal decisions will move
to the center of very public debates around the right to bodily
autonomy vs. the need for regulation.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. BODY DEBATES 15

CONSPIRITUALITY DIETITIAN CORRUPTION

Covid may have jump-started conversations around health-related Dietitians on TikTok are getting paid off by the food industry. Earlier this
conspiracy theories, but the conversation hasn’t ended there. There are now year, the World Health Organization warned consumers about using
conspiracies about sunscreen, the causes of cancer, and wifi—among other artificial sweeteners like aspartame to control their weight. Following
alleged ills—and they are going global. This merging of New Age spirituality that announcement, groups like American Beverage (a trade and lobbying
and extreme right-wing anti-science activism is known as “conspirituality,” group representing Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and more) and Canadian Sugar
or, as British journalist James Ball calls it, “the-wellness-to-fascism pipeline.” Institute hired dietitians to post videos debunking the WHO’s findings,
People attracted to this movement are generally skeptical of mainstream driving over 2.7 million views of #safetyofaspartame videos on TikTok.
medicine and are in search of alternative explanations. As for the people It’s estimated that at least 35 popular creators have been paid to
spreading the lies, there’s another motivation: profit. Many promoters encourage viewers to continue drinking diet soda and consuming other
of anti-vaccine falsehoods, for example, are making millions selling their highly processed foods or unproven supplements. With this kind of
own “natural” wellness products. The first step in fighting back against manipulation undermining the credibility of the wider health industry,
conspirituality? Improving health literacy among the general public and consumers will be looking for trusted brands to clear up the confusion
arming people with scientific counter-arguments. with science-backed facts.

SCHOOL DRESS CODE DEBACLES OZEMPIC SIDE DISHES

Goodbye plaid skirts and stiff collared shirts—Bangkok is easing school Barclays predicts the global market for obesity drugs will reach $100
dress codes. An order issued by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration billion by around 2030. For food companies, this raises an interesting
is requiring all 437 schools within the Bangkok metro area to let students question: will lower appetites result in lower sales? According to Walmart
wear casual clothes at least one day a week and to loosen restrictions on execs, the answer is yes. And some big name brands are already creating
hairstyles. The move aims to respect children’s “individuality, diversity, new products in anticipation. Nestle, the world’s largest food company,
religious beliefs and gender preference,” and comes in response to recent is working on companion products like shakes and bars that would
protests against strict uniform policies. Last June, an uproar was sparked supplement vitamins and minerals and reduce loss of muscle mass.
when a 15-year-old student was barred from enrolling in a prestigious school Abbott Laboratories is developing a new protein drink specifically for
because she dyed her hair pink and refused to wear a uniform. Some Thai weight loss drug patients. And even General Mills is experimenting with
teachers have also been known to humiliate students by chopping off their high-protein products that will pair well with the drugs. As these drugs
hair in front of the entire school. The strong reactions to the new order— become cheaper and more widely available, we can expect even more
both positive and negative—are highlighting deeper cultural tensions around brands—from fitness companies to restaurants—to begin introducing
discipline versus freedom of self-expression. Ozempic-inspired innovations.

84% of adults globally say it’s important to “be able to make

decisions about my body and my health in my own best interest.”
— TBWA Disruption Index Proprietary Research in 29 countries, Q1 2024 (n=13,100)
 BODY DEBATES 16

TRANSGENDER SURGERY REQUIREMENTS TOXIC PRODUCT DETOX WHAT’S NE T

A growing number of human rights advocates in Japan are campaigning In a time when every day brings a new headline about a food or household
for the abolition of a clause that requires transgender individuals to product that could be slowly killing you, it’s no wonder why people are → AUDIT YOUR INGREDIENTS
undergo sterilization surgery in order to have their gender changed rethinking what they put in and on their bodies. This is especially true in places Food, beverage, and beauty brands—inspect your ingredients and
on official papers. While the law has been in place since 2003, like the US where loose and out-of-date government regulation is forcing rethink your packaging. With an overload of buzzwords and a lack
Japanese courts are now moving to declare the surgery requirement consumers to do their own research around what’s safe versus what’s toxic. of regulation, clear, informative labeling will be a must.
unconstitutional, with a family court recently saying that forcing such Some of the latest products being put under the microscope include scented
“grave and irreversible” operations on people violates their human candles, Skittles, anti-aging creams, and cleaning products. Resources like the → LOOK OUT FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES

rights. One man personally affected by the law, Kanata Kimoto, currently Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Living app are aiming to clear up the Where governments take away rights or fail to provide resources,

runs a popular YouTube channel, where he answers questions about his confusion by allowing people to search for a product and identify ingredients employers can—and will be expected to—step in and support.

life as a trans man and shares his experience undergoing mandatory of concern. It also provides a score based on the number of hazards linked to
→ UNPACK THE TENSION
sterilization surgery. “I don’t want to see the future of younger people various chemicals.
What the science says isn’t always in alignment with what society
ruined by the lack of choices,” he says.
believes. Openly acknowledging the tensions is the first step to
SMOKE-FREE FUTURE
bridging the gap.
FINANCIAL BLOCKS While efforts are underway to ban smoking for the next generation, the path
Finance companies are no stranger to controversial industries. But as to a smoke-free future isn’t exactly straightforward. Last year, for example,
laws and cultural norms related to body autonomy continue to evolve, New Zealand made headlines when it passed a groundbreaking law that would
so too will their policies. In July, for instance, MasterCard told payment effectively ban smoking for the next generation. Now, the country’s new right-
processors and banks in the US to stop allowing marijuana transactions leaning coalition government is scrapping that plan in a move that health
on debit cards—a move that will certainly make it less convenient for experts say will cost the country billions in health care. Similarly, Malaysia’s
MasterCard holders to buy weed, but won’t stop them from finding proposed smoking ban is facing continued delays. On the other hand, England, NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

crafty workarounds. Another attempt to block transactions is underway Ireland, Wales and Hong Kong are all exploring ways to become smoke-free
in Texas, where Republicans are introducing bills that would ban credit within the decade. And until laws in Hong Kong are made official, the health BIO-MATERIALS
card companies from processing payments for abortion pills. chief is encouraging a less conventional strategy—asking citizens to stare EMOTION AI
judgingly at anyone who lights up a cigarette in areas where it is banned. NEURAL CONTROL
At the intersection of sustainability, scarcity, and
hype culture lies a booming aftermarket economy.
Old products are being recycled, repaired, and resold,
while new products are being created with end-of life
options built in. From modular tech to food waste
fashion, the shift to circularity is unlocking ample
opportunities for post-sale profits.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CIRCULAR AFTERMARKETS 18

CLOTHING REPAIR BONUS PROFESSIONAL THRIFTERS

Ripped jeans? Shirts with missing buttons? Broken heels? If you live The style box craze is getting a circular upgrade. Thanks to the rising
in France, don’t throw those items in the trash. As of October 2023, popularity of thrifting, fashion influencers are curating personalized thrift
the French government offers a “repair bonus” that allows people to hauls for their followers. The process kicks off with customers sharing a
reclaim between €6 to €25 of the cost of mending their clothes and Pinterest-style mood board of their ideal looks. Then, the shopper will
shoes. With an estimated 700,000 tons of clothing thrown away scour the thrift stores on their behalf and ship a box of unique, specially
in France each year, the new waste-cutting scheme will have selected finds straight to their door. These thrifted style boxes have
a major impact. become so popular on TikTok that stylists are struggling to keep up with
demand. By personalizing the secondhand shopping experience, thrifted
RESALE STORYTELLING items are elevated from a stranger’s discard to an exclusive find.
On Xianyu, China’s biggest secondhand trading app, sellers share
personal memories about the items they’ve listed. These entries are WEDDING RENTAL SERVICES
often so lengthy and detailed that they’ve given rise to a special genre: With many brides and grooms wanting to hold on to their wedding outfits
“Xianyu Literature.” Some might share the special memories they made and decor as a keepsake, it may not be the first industry you’d imagine to
in a beloved outfit; others might talk about what a particular toy meant move into the rental business. But planet-conscious and price-conscious
to them as a kid; or maybe they’ll post a story about the games they couples are proving everyone wrong—as evidenced by wedding rental
used to play on a laptop they’re now passing on. While most people companies reporting significant increases in sales. This includes services
consider pre-loved items to be worth less than new ones, this element like Australia-based Stillwhite, an online marketplace for pre-worn
of organic storytelling adds significant emotional value to what might wedding dresses; Bloomerent, which allows people to reuse florals from
have otherwise been a forgettable purchase. someone else’s wedding while they’re still fresh; and Verstolo, which offers
rentable diamond bling. Who says sentimental events can’t go circular?
TRASHY EATS
Squash scraps, ugly shrooms, leftover dough, and beautiful surplus
greens are just a few of the ingredients you might find on the menu
“Circular and ethical practices
are a necessary prerequisite for
at Shuggie’s Trash Pie. The San Francisco restaurant builds its entire
menu around foods that would otherwise go to waste—such as
irregular or surplus produce, byproducts from food manufacturing, the new luxury—not a luxury of
or offcuts from the meat or fish industry. Though other restaurants
are also incorporating food-saving strategies where possible, very
thought in themselves.”
few have proudly made waste their primary focus. Vogue UK
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CIRCULAR AFTERMARKETS 19

WHAT’S NE T
→ RETHINK YOUR PHYSICAL FOOTPRINT
What if stores stopped selling new products altogether?
Serving instead as destinations for upcycling,
secondhand swaps, and repairs.

→ TELL A STORY
Consider how the backstories of pre-loved items could
add value and build emotional appeal.

→ INCENTIVIZE CIRCULARITY
THE FOOTWEAR COLLECTIVE HAIRY TEXTILES Reward people for recycling and create programs that
Footwear competitors New Balance, On, Reformation, Target, Crocs, Inc., Brooks Running, Ecco Hair clippings are proving to be a useful (albeit unusual) waste source. make it cool to turn trash into treasure.
and Vibram are teaming up to transition the industry from a linear system to a circular one. The In the Netherlands, a company called Human Material Loop works with
initiative, called the Footwear Collective, outlines three pillars for collaboration: circular materials, participating hairdressers to collect human hair, which it processes into → EMBRACE ORGANIC NICHES

where companies agree to use sustainable materials into their supply chains; infrastructure, textiles and sometimes turns into garments. And it’s not just human hair This trend is pioneered by obsessive collectors, creators,

where the brands commit to changing their infrastructure to allow more circularity at scale; and that’s being given a second life. So too is pet hair, with efforts underway and thrifters. Involve them in your brand and turn them

consumer behavior, where brands fuel enthusiasm around circular consumption. While plenty of to turn wasted dog and cat fur into fine fabric. into your biggest advocates.

shoe brands have set out to make more sustainable shoes on their own, this marks a major—and
very necessary—push toward cross-company collaboration. FIXIT CULTURE
Don’t be so quick to give up on your broken goods. Instead, take them to
MODULAR HEADPHONES a Repair Café and enjoy some coffee while volunteer “fixers” go to work.
The Kibu Headphones are promoting circularity for the next generation of consumers. These These community repair sites are on the rise globally as more people NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

modular headphones are made from 100% recycled materials and are designed to be assembled look to salvage their stuff, ranging from broken vacuum cleaners to lamps
and customized by children, so the product can grow alongside them. If a wire breaks or a and even phones. In 2023, 55% of British adults chose to repair an item BIO-MATERIALS
headband no longer fits, replacement parts can be ordered directly from Kibu. Kibu is also rather than replacing it. For Australians, it’s 79%. Online communities for COMMUNITY COMMERCE
committed to remanufacturing, renewing, dissembling or recycling the headphone at the end handy folks are thriving as well, with subreddits like r/fixit attracting over MODULAR DESIGN
of their lifespan—teaching kids that the best electronics are ones that last a lifetime. 300k worldwide members. ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
Superficial sustainability solutions and empty environmental promises no
longer cut it. With climate projections painting a bleak future, efforts we
once applauded are now being put under the microscope—raising the bar
for sustainability and exposing the urgent need for large-scale change.
Earning climate credit is both more difficult and more necessary than ever.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CLIMATE CREDIT 21

GREENHUSHING
Fear of being called out for greenwashing is giving rise to a
PLANT-BASED ACTION PLAN
As a follow-up to a 2021 climate agreement, Denmark recently
More than half of
counter trend: “greenhushing.” The term refers to companies unveiled the world’s first national action plan to promote plant- consumers globally (55%)
keeping quiet about their sustainability practices—even if based foods. The plan involves training chefs in both public and
are skeptical of brands'
plausible or well-intentioned—in order to avoid criticism.
For instance, if 50% of a company’s hotels are using fully
private kitchens on how to prepare vegan meals, as well as
prioritizing plant-based diets in schools and the education
sustainability claims.
renewable energy, they might decide not to publicize their system. It also outlines initiatives to expand the exports of — YouGov, 2023
progress out of fear that people will question why it’s not yet locally produced vegan food through embassies, and to invest
100%.​ But this kind of silence could be slowing momentum. more in plant-based research and development. If successful,
Research has shown that sharing environmental updates Denmark’s plan could very well serve as inspiration for the rest
creates a positive ripple effect, often inspiring laggards to of world.
take action. So rather than avoiding the conversation,
companies should practice full transparency—explaining CONSERVATION BASIC INCOME
what’s already been done, and being upfront about how far Imagine if governments paid people a basic income to protect
they still have to go. nature. That’s the idea behind conservation basic income (CBI),
which would transfer money to people living in or using key
CARBON CREDIT CATASTROPHE conservation areas throughout the world, from Indigenous
Verra, the world’s leading carbon credit certifier for major people in the Amazon to cattle herders in East Africa. The
corporations like Disney, Gucci, and Shell, is facing a researchers behind the proposal estimate that a global CBI
credibility crisis. Findings from a nine-month investigation would cost at least $351 billion in order to pay about 232 million
have revealed that more than 90% of Verra’s rainforest offset people annually, which is significantly less than the estimated
credits do not represent genuine carbon reductions. In fact, $500 billion that governments spend to subsidize harmful
according to the investigation, the projects have had no industries each year. The main goal of a CBI would be to
measurable impact, and in some cases where the impact has alleviate the poverty traps that often force conservationists to
been measurable, the projects have actually resulted in overexploit natural resources and sell their labor to destructive
deforestation. While Verra challenges the conclusions drawn industries. While there is not yet evidence that a global CBI
by the investigation, they’ve since announced that they will would work, evidence from similar programs is promising. In
be transitioning to a new model. The Verra scandal is adding Indonesia, for example, unconditional payments to hundreds of
serious pressure for regulatory bodies to set clear and thousands of the poorest families also reduced deforestation.
measurable standards not just for the unregulated carbon As a next step, the researchers are pushing for locally led pilot
credit industry, but also for the growing carbon label market. programs that put the concept to the test.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CLIMATE CREDIT 22

CLIMATE CHANGE WORKSHOPS

The hottest ticket for a night out in Paris? Climate change
WHAT’S NE T
workshops. During these three-hour sessions, attendees are
→ BE PREPARED TO MAKE SACRIFICES
asked to arrange 42 cards representing the different causes and
It’s the end of making lofty climate goals that you’ll
consequences of climate change—from the use of fossil fuels to
inevitably fail to meet. With higher standards for what’s
the melting of glaciers. They’re hosted by a nonprofit called Climate
considered “sustainable,” brands will be forced to rebuild
Fresk, and they’ve become so popular in France that they’re now
their entire business model around environmental priorities.
part of introductory courses at several elite French universities
and are taught at major companies such as the bank BNP Paribas. → REWARD EVERYDAY ACTIONS
Participants say they leave feeling empowered to make changes What if loyalty programs rewarded consumers for reducing
in their personal lives, whether by cutting back on their meat emissions in their everyday lives? Reframing climate action
consumption or lobbying their employers to institute as a daily decision rather than an insurmountable task.
greener practices.
→ PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION
LEGO’S LEARNING LESSON Rather than waiting until a big climate goal is reached,
Not every sustainability goal goes according to plan. Just ask Lego, businesses can inspire action by publishing regular
which recently abandoned its plans to make bricks from recycled progress reports—detailing the intermediate wins as well
plastic bottles—a move they first announced back in 2021. Upon as the mistakes and ongoing challenges.
further testing, the toy giant found that switching to recycled
PLASTIC FREE DATABASE bricks would require extra ingredients for durability as well as
Designers aiming to ditch plastic should look no further than PlasticFree, an online greater energy for processing and drying. On top of that, they’d
platform that provides subscribers with in-depth reports on over 100 sustainable plastic have to switch to all new manufacturing equipment, which
alternatives. Part material library, part design tool, the platform helps people avoid the ultimately would have led to a higher carbon footprint. Although
“minefield of misinformation” around alternative materials and highlights applaudable case disappointing, the reality is that the path to sustainability isn’t NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
studies from projects around the globe. The most impressive materials included in the always straightforward. By practicing transparency and giving
database are fossil-free "nutrient-based" materials such as Notpla's edible seaweed consumers full insight into the reasoning behind their decision, BIO-MATERIALS
packaging or Mirum plant leather, which are able to go back to the earth as nutrients. Lego is building trust for the long term. MODULAR DESIGN
We’re simultaneously more connected and more isolated than ever
before. With our world no longer built to facilitate face-to-face
interaction, new social spaces, apps, and business models are stepping
in to fill the void. The connection economy is booming, and it might just
heal our collective well-being.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CONNECTION QUEST 24

COMMISSION ON SOCIAL CONNECTION

The World Health Organization is making loneliness a global health priority
with the launch of a new Commission on Social Connection. For the next three
years, the commission will focus on ways to address the global epidemic of
loneliness, reviewing the latest science and designing strategies to help
people deepen their social connections. “For too long, loneliness has existed THOUGHTFUL APP
behind the shadows, unseen and underappreciated, driving mental and We already have apps that remind us to drink more water,
physical illness,” said US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. “Now, we have an meditate, and meet our daily fitness goals. But what about an
opportunity to change that.” app that reminds you to check in with your friends? That’s the
idea behind Thoughtful, a new app that assesses your
HUMAN REBOOT connection style then offers personalized daily suggestions for
Between Covid isolation and increasingly online lifestyles, things one thought reaching out, acknowledging important dates, and deepening
to be basic human skills are no longer proving to be so basic. Just look to the your connections. This might mean getting a notification to
workplace, where more employers have started incorporating “soft skills wish someone good luck before an important event, or being
training” after noticing that Gen Zers were struggling to make conversation asked to reply to a prompt such as “Who was the last person
and give face-to-face presentations. Or, look to Japan, where some people you gave a compliment to?” "Relationships are a marathon, not a
are taking classes to relearn how to perfect their smile after three years of sprint," says psychiatrist Samantha Boardman, MD, who advised
pandemic masking. For a society desperate to reconnect with confidence, on the app’s development. "It's [by way of] those micro-
updating our social software will be an essential first step. moments of checking in and showing up for people that
friendships are sustained over time."
MEN’S RETREATS
While women have long been taught to open up and embrace their emotions,
the same can’t be said for men—a problem that’s now being attributed to a Pinterest data confirms our craving DAZI

for deeper connections, showing

worsening male friendship recession. Not only do men around the world have As China’s Gen Z looks to reclaim their social lives post-Covid,

fewer friends than women, but men also report being less emotionally the search for "dazi“ (activity partners) is on. The majority of

connected to the friends they do have, making them much more susceptible significant increases in searches for these relationships are formed by inviting strangers to hangout

to feelings of loneliness. Men’s retreats are hoping to reverse that trend by “questions for couples to reconnect” through social platforms like Xiaohongshu and WeChat, with

(+480% YoY), “deep conversation

giving men dedicated time and space to meaningfully connect. These retreats activities ranging from hiking to weekend travel. But don’t

come in a wide array of styles–ranging from those focused on emotional confuse dazi with friends. The goal isn’t necessarily to get to

literacy, such as EVRYMAN and Junto, to those that create connection starters” (+185% YoY) and “emotional know one another on a deeper level or to develop a lasting

through physical activity, like Rewilding Surf Retreats in Cornwall. As interest intimacy” (+40% YoY). relationship, it’s to simply enjoy an activity together and move
on. Participants say the activity-focused approach is a practical,
in these gatherings rises, we could one day see men’s retreats be prescribed
for both mental and physical health. — Pinterest Predicts, 2024 low-pressure way to connect IRL with no strings attached.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CONNECTION QUEST 25

FAKE IT, FOR REAL CROSS-GENERATIONAL GATHERINGS

For those struggling to find friends, new social spaces are helping A daycare center for the elderly in Chiba has won Japan’s highly
people fake it until they make it. In South Korea, for example, nonprofit prestigious Good Design Grand Award. The facility draws
NEET Connect has created a program for unemployed people to come inspiration from the traditional Japanese porch known as
together and “play office” in a simulated work environment. The goal isn’t “Engawa,” which encourages members of the community to visit
to get rich (in fact, you don’t get paid a dime), but rather to connect with in a relaxed, informal manner. Most notable, though, is that the
people in a similar situation and see that you’re not alone. Similarly, at center welcomes people of all ages rather than keeping seniors
Tokyo’s Tomodachi ga Yatteru Cafe (‘Cafe Run by Friends’), the staff are isolated from the rest of society. Families are encouraged to visit
actors who pretend like they’ve known you for years. They’ll greet you the residents and help out with their daily lives, while children are
with a smile and an “It’s been a while!” And they might even ask how your taught to assist with tasks like watering the garden. “Everyone
mom is doing (never mind the fact that they’ve never actually met her). helps each other,” says architect Hiroshi Naito. “It reminds us of
The familiarity doesn’t stop at the staff, either. From drinks with names old times.
like “the same thing as last time,” to the single, long table that forces
people to sit together and chat, the entire experience is designed to
make guests feel like they’re at home and among friends. While the idea
of manufactured friendships might seem a little sad, people who visit
WHAT’S NE T
these spaces often end up forming very real relationships along the way.
→ QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
We’re done resting our laurels on how many likes, matches,
MATCHMAKING REVIVAL
and followers we rack up. Individuals are desperate for
Dating apps gave people access to a seemingly infinite pool of potential
interpersonal relationships that bring substance and depth.
suitors. Now, choice overload is sparking a contemporary return to old-
school matchmaking services. While such services typically cost
→ CREATE COMMON GROUND
thousands of dollars, modern apps like Lox Club—”a members club for
Break people out of filter bubbles based solely on similar
Jew-ish ppl with ridiculously high standards”—are aiming to make it more
interests. How can you bring people together who would NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
accessible. A Lox Club membership costs $96 for a full year, and comes
have otherwise never met?
with access to professional matchmakers who set users up with one
AVATAR IDENTITIES
another and give personalized feedback on your profile. As it turns out,
→ EXPERIMENT WITH FORMATS COMMUNITY COMMERCE
finding “the one” may just get easier when you ditch the algorithm and
Go beyond talking, texting, and typing, and find more DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
focus on quality over quantity.
immersive ways to connect people. THIRD PLACE GAMING
An economy built on “me,” “more,” and “now”
is turning a new page. As consumers wake up to
the fact that one-click commands come at a cost,
they’ll think twice before sacrificing sustainability
for speed, or workers’ rights for savings. The
convenience economy is growing a conscience.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CONSCIOUS CONVENIENCE 27

THE END OF “FREE” RETURNS

As it turns out, “free” returns are extremely costly for the
FITCHIX
How free are free-range chickens, really? Thanks to a new
“In the midst of global climate
environment and for retailers. MIllions of tons of returned stock chicken fitness tracker from Australia-based Honest Eggs Co., and biodiversity crises, the
end up in landfills each year, and for the items that do get resold, you no longer have to guess. The company is using the FitChix planet does not need another
the process of shipping, unpacking, reviewing, and reselling them
(often at a discount) ends up costing companies an average of $30
trackers to measure exactly how many steps their chickens
take, then printing that number directly on the eggs you find
$2.00 T-shirt.”
per return. This harsh reality prompted almost 90% of retailers to at the supermarket. Besides making for a memorable campaign, — Maxine Bedat, Fast Company
revise their return policies in one way or another last year. About FitChix is drawing attention to the fact that the category is
44% of companies now charge return shipping fees, which is up full of empty marketing terms that make it seem like animals
from 33% in 2021. Other companies are preventing returns by are being treated better than they actually are. The next era
simply making more items final sale. And in the most extreme move, of transparent labeling is about letting the numbers do
a growing number of retailers are adopting “keep it” policies for the the talking.
cases where the cost of returning the item would exceed its value.
According to returns services firm goTRG, a whopping 59% of GEN Z SHUNS SHEIN
retailers have adopted these so-called “return-less refunds,” Despite Shein’s not-so-shiny reputation, the fast fashion giant
though few publicize it for obvious reasons. has continued to generate growing sales from price-sensitive,
trend-obsessed Gen Zers. But the tide is slowly turning. One
CONSCIOUS SHOPPING TOOLS notable wave of backlash came in June, when Shein invited a
New features from Klarna are making it easier for people to shop group of American influencers to share footage from their tour
based on their personal values. They include a new conscious of a Shein factory located in Guangzhou, China. “I expected
shopping dashboard, which offers access to sustainable products this facility to be so filled with people just slaving away…but
as well as environmental educational content; additional honestly, everybody was just working like normal, like, chill,
sustainability certification filters from third parties like PETA; sitting down. They weren’t even sweating,” one influencer said
and an enhanced CO2 tracker with data for over 122 million in a video that has since been heavily parodied. This attempt to
products. In addition, the global fintech giant added a dedicated improve the brand’s image ended up having the opposite effect,
filter in the search and compare tool to highlight conscious brands with many describing the content as propaganda. That month,
that have earned sustainability ratings of 4 (good) or 5 (great) the brand’s net favorability among Gen Z consumers fell nearly
according to partner organization, Good On You. These updates 20 points year over year. Purchase consideration also fell 10
were made based on findings that despite a widespread desire points. Despite this data suggesting an ethical awakening,
to shop ethically, almost 80% of consumers say they are struggling experts worry that Shein’s recent move to go public in the U.S.
to identify environmentally friendly companies that align with their could help it evade necessary scrutiny on its labor and
interests and values. production practices.
 CONSCIOUS CONVENIENCE 28

ETHICAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY SO LONG, SINGLE USE

The largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn, is making While plastic has long been associated with convenience, new
hidden costs visible. Between April and June 2023, customers who laws are marking the end of throwaway culture and the start of a
bought a self-service cup of coffee at select ‘AH to go’ stores saw two more mindful era of consumption. England and France were the
prices: the standard retail price, and the True Price. The latter accounts latest countries to ban plastic packaging of food and drinks from
for CO2 emissions, water use, resource consumption, and labor restaurants last year, forcing familiar fast food favorites like
conditions related to the production of the coffee and milk. If a double McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and Starbucks to pivot to
espresso usually costs EUR 2.25, for example, its True Price might come reusable tableware. For France, this development is just one step
to EUR 2.33. This also means that oat milk was actually cheaper than in a much larger plan to ban all single-use plastic waste by 2040.
cow’s milk due to its smaller environmental footprint. All extra revenue
generated from the 15% of shoppers who opted to pay the True Price
was donated to the Rainforest Alliance. As similar pricing models are
eventually integrated across entire business models, we could finally WHAT’S NE T
see ethically made products become the obvious choice.
→ ENABLE MINDFUL SHOPPING

PLANT-BASED PRICE PARITY Empower people to choose wisely with product labels and

Lidl is making sure that cost isn’t a barrier to plant-based eating. digital platforms that detail carbon emissions, supply chain

The German supermarket chain recently lowered the prices of its own processes, worker treatment, and more. It can be as simple

Venmondo vegan products to match their animal-based equivalents. as scanning a QR code on a food wrapper or clothing tag.

Besides being a win for vegans, Lidl hopes the price parity will encourage NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
more shoppers to give sustainable alternatives a try. According to the → GET SMART
Federal Association of the German Food Trade, 41% of Germans identify Solutions like made-to-order manufacturing, AR clothing CONNECTED OBJECTS
as flexitarian, and 43% say they’d buy more plant-based foods if they try-ons, and smarter demand forecasting will help retailers BIO-MATERIALS
were offered at a cheaper price. minimize returns and reduce excess inventory. COMMUNITY COMMERCE
A hyperpolarized society is ready to trade toxic intolerance
for a commitment to progress. As the war on “wokeness”
rages on, a growing group of people are refusing to
participate in a divided world. The Counter Cancel movement
will call people in to learn rather than calling them out—
trading public shaming for healthy, nuanced conversation.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. COUNTER CANCEL 30

BUBBEL CHAT
If you tend to avoid interacting with people on the opposite end of the
political spectrum, you’re not alone. But a new Dutch app called Bubbel
Chat wants you to give it a shot. When you first sign up, you select
which party you’re planning to vote for and are assigned an anonymous
username. Bubbel Chat then matches you with someone from an
opposing political party, and presents you both with a statement such
as “Nature conservation zones should be established on land currently
used for agriculture.” Users are encouraged to respectfully discuss their
stance, but are free to switch topics at any point. Bubbel Chat’s goal
isn’t necessarily to change people’s minds about a particular issue—
“People ought to be free to
although that does sometimes happen—but rather, it aims to break express their views without fear
people out of their echo chambers and get them to see value in of being attacked on both sides.”
diverse viewpoints.
— K. Shanmugam, Minister for Law of Singapore
RETROACTIVE REWRITES
Earlier last year, news broke that Puffin Books would make hundreds of
INTERCEPTING THE MANOSPHERE
changes to Roald Dahl’s most popular children’s books in order to align
In response to a recent surge in male supremacist content, a growing number
his language with modern sensitivities. In The Twits, Mrs. Twit is no
of groups are aiming to show men and boys a better path. And they’re doing it
longer “ugly and beastly” but rather just “beastly”; in the latest Charlie
through an unexpected method: compassion. One such group is called Diverting
and the Chocolate Factory, Augustus Gloop is not “enormously fat”
Hate. Launched summer 2023, Diverting Hate meets younger men on social media
but rather “enormous”; and in Matilda, “mothers and fathers” are now
with targeted posts that are designed to appeal to a man’s anger. But rather than
“parents.” The news struck a major nerve, reigniting questions around
directing them to a hate group, the posts link to educational articles, men’s
who decides what’s offensive, whether it’s ever okay to make
retreats, and mental health resources. “What could they have seen in their social-
posthumous edits, and how far we’ll go to sanitize our past. In the wake
media feed that would have led to connection with other men in a healthier
of the backlash, Puffin Books U.K. decided to release Dahl’s original
place?” asks Kaitlyn Tierney, Diverting Hate’s chief. In a time when men globally
texts as a separate “Classic Collection” alongside the updated editions
are more than twice as likely to die from suicide than women, the value of such
—ultimately leaving it up to individuals to decide which version they
efforts cannot be overstated.
want to read.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. COUNTER CANCEL 31

CONTESTED CUISINES
Controversies around cultural appropriation in food may not be new,
REVIEW BOMBING
These days, the ability to rate and review everything we consume
WHAT’S NE T
but they’re far from being settled. Just look to British food retailer has turned everyone into a critic—and some people are abusing the
→ BREAK THE ECHO CHAMBER
Marks & Spencer, which sparked outrage among Spaniards when it power. From TikTokers who exclusively post scathing restaurant
Cultivate platforms, features, and IRL experiences that expose people to diverse
launched a new product called Spanish Chorizo Paella Croquetas—a reviews, to people leaving one-star ratings of books they haven’t
viewpoints and foster open, respectful dialogue.
real cultural mishmash that critics said was an insult to all three even bothered to read, the rise of “review bombing” is having a very
dishes referenced in the name. To avoid making the same mistake real impact on restaurant owners and authors whose livelihoods are
→ BE THOUGHTFUL, NOT REACTIVE
in the future, we might see more companies like M&S start hiring at the mercy of public feedback. This pervasive negativity is what
Before rushing to weigh in on every tragedy, brands would be wise to do thorough
“cultural appropriation specialists.” At least, that’s the route that inspired John Legend to launch a new kind of social app called It’s
research, consider the issue from various perspectives, and craft a meaningful plan
celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is taking after coming under fire for his Good. Rather than allowing anyone and everyone to share their take,
of action. Oftentimes, being effective is more beneficial than being first.
inauthentic takes on classic cuisines like Jollof rice and Caribbean the app curates personalized recommendations from users’ own
jerk chicken and rice. These specialists now vet all of Oliver’s recipes contacts, as well as from legitimate critics and public figures. The → OWN YOUR MISTAKES
before they’re published, ensuring that the flavors are authentic and best part? No hate allowed. “It’s actually not even built for negative Brands, don’t be afraid to acknowledge your past wrongdoings in the pursuit of a
the origins of each dish are properly acknowledged. comments,” says Legend. “Either you recommend it or you don’t.” better way forward. Taking accountability requires full transparency.

DISCORD’S REFORM MOVEMENT MEDIATOR TRAINING

An intensified social media landscape has led most platforms to As the United States injects hundreds of billions of dollars into clean NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
establish a zero-tolerance policy for trolls. But Discord is taking a energy through the Inflation Reduction Act, criticism is growing
different approach. Rather than banning offenders for life, the gaming louder about where, how, and whether new development should be THIRD PLACE GAMING
DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
giant wants to rehabilitate them. According to new rules announced allowed. Some communities are worried about landscape changes,
in October, users who break the rules will first receive a direct some property values, and others wildlife preservation. And all of
message from Discord letting them know that they received either these fears are only being made worse by rampant misinformation.
a warning or violation. From there, they’ll be guided to a detailed A new class at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is
breakdown of whichever policies were broken and which platform aiming to resolve these clean energy conflicts by training students
features will be restricted as a result. If you post a bunch of gore in to be mediators. The students get outside of the classroom and gain
a server, for example, Discord will temporarily limit your ability to real-world experience working directly with developers, local
upload media. “As an industry we’ve had a lot of hammers at our officials, and residents—taking care to understand their diverse
disposal. We’re trying to introduce more scalpels into our approach,” perspectives then figuring out how to create a fair outcome for all
said John Redgrave, Discord’s vice president of trust and safety. involved. With more industries becoming polarized, these kind of
“That doesn’t just benefit Discord. It benefits all platforms, if users mediation skills will become increasingly valuable going forward.
can actually change their behavior.”
A world trapped in permacrisis is determined to find its way out.
In response to resource scarcity, political instability, and ongoing
inflation, people are embracing lo-fi hacks and eco-innovations
that make the most of the limitations. As we say goodbye to
abundance, human ingenuity will elevate and endure.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CRISIS HACKING 33

ENERGY-SAVING ICE CREAM AFRI-PLASTICS CHALLENGE

Retailers typically store their ice cream at a frigid -18°C. In a push For inspiration on how to make the most of waste, look no
to reduce energy consumption, Unilever has been developing new further than the Afri-Plastics Challenge. The competition,
recipes that can remain stable at a warmer temperature of -12°C which is put on by the Canadian government and social
without impacting taste or texture. This six degree difference requires enterprise Challenge Works, awards a total of £4.1 million
20-30% less energy—which amounts to big savings when you account in funding to companies across sub-Saharan Africa that are
for the 3 million ice cream freezers that Unilever maintains around the working to end plastic pollution. The biggest cut of the 2023
world. But the consumer goods giant isn’t stopping there. Unilever is prize fund went to Green Industry Plast, an initiative setting
sharing this updated ice cream patent with its competitors in hopes up plastic donation bins across Togo and training young
that retailers will be able to turn up the temperature dial on freezers dropouts and women in sorting and recycling the waste to
everywhere. make bricks and paving stones for the local community. Other
notable winners include Kenyan company EcoCoCo, which
GRASSROOTS BULK-SHOPPING GROUPS makes scrubbing brushes from discarded coconut fibres; and
As food prices continue to rise in Nigeria, savvy shoppers are fighting Nairobi-based Mega Gas, which converts plastic waste into
inflation by cutting out the middleman. Savvy middle-class Nigerians clean energy.
are forming WhatsApp groups that source food items in bulk directly
from producers and then sharing the products among themselves. INFLATION COOKBOOK
These grassroots groups, several of which have over 500 members, Canadian food delivery service SkipTheDishes has developed
are helping people cut grocery costs by up to 22%. the country’s first Inflation Cookbook. The online tool tracks
weekly pricing of over 400 items from retailers at over 80
GAZAN INGENUITY locations, helping people maximize their grocery budget by
Facing dire shortages of basic necessities, the people of Gaza are keeping tabs on price reductions. Users simply select their
responding with ingenuity. With no fuel for cooking, people are building province, household size, and weekly grocery budget, and the
clay ovens (“tabuns”) and heating them by burning wood, leaves, or cookbook leverages real-time pricing data to highlight items
animal dung; “DIY Desalination” guides have also been circulating that that are on sale, like a 20% price cut for cheddar cheese or a 13%
show people how to convert seawater into fresh water suitable for discount on potatoes. Next, the Inflation Cookbook displays a
drinking or cooking; and as Israel shuts off the internet and local phone week’s worth of recipes that incorporate those ingredients in
providers cease operations, people around the world are donating eSIM order to make meal planning as simple as possible. The recipes
cards so that Palestinians can create new cellular plans without a are generated with the help of AI and curated by real human
physical SIM card. chefs and nutritionists.
© 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. CRISIS HACKING 34

COMMUNITY-OWNED SOLAR BIOCEMENT

Residents of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, have built the island’s first community- The world currently uses enough concrete
owned solar microgrid. The microgrids are the latest example of a grassroots to build a Paris every week—a not-so-fun fact
fight for energy security in Puerto Rico, where power outages have become that accounts for around 8% of the world’s
increasingly common since Hurricane Maria damaged 80% of the island’s climate-warming CO2 emissions. And a
power grid seven years ago. The microgrids can run solely on locally growing population means we’ll need even
generated power in the event of an outage, meaning they’re much more more buildings in the future. Hoping to meet
reliable than the central grid. They also make electricity significantly these growing concrete demands in a more
cheaper. On average, Puerto Ricans spend a whopping 8% of their income sustainable way is US-based Prometheus
on electricity (vs. 2.4% for the average American). Materials, a company making biocement out
of blue-green algae (aka pond scum).
PIG-TO-MAN KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS Because algae live and grow through
The scarcity of donor kidneys means that nearly 40% of individuals on photosynthesis, biocement made through
transplant waiting lists die within five years. With human donors unable to this process absorbs carbon rather than
meet demand, research groups are looking to an unexpected source: pigs. emitting it. Prometheus recently raised $8
Last year, two research groups successfully implanted genetically modified million in its first round of funding, and is now
pig kidneys into human recipients for the first time—marking a medical hoping to widen its impact by licensing the
breakthrough that could save millions of lives. And that’s not the only reason use of its biocement to other companies who
to be optimistic. Researchers are also working on 3D-printed organs, which could make their own concrete with it.
are expected to be available for transplantation within the next 10 years.

WHAT’S NE T
→ PLAY WITHIN CONSTRAINTS → UNLOCK DIY SOLUTIONS
Limitations can fuel creativity and Give consumers the tips and NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

spark ingenuity. Start by reimagining tools to use less—from simple

what your product or experience ways to cut back their energy BIO-MATERIALS
would look like if it used as few consumption to make-your-own LO-FI DESIGN
resources as possible. product guides. MODULAR DESIGN
The days of data free-for-alls are coming to a
close. As regulation tightens and power shifts in
favor of users, we’ll see the end of vague privacy
policies and the start of a more formalized data
exchange economy. One where data is assigned
an indisputable value, and where individuals own
their data from the start.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. DATA RUSH 36

ZERO-PARTY DATA SHARING AD-FREE SOCIAL MEDIA SUBSCRIPTIONS

A growing crop of startups are allowing people to trade their data Meta users in Europe now have the option of paying €12.99 a month to browse Facebook and
for cash, discounts, or other perks. These include Tapestri, which pays Instagram without ads—marking the largest-ever test of how many people are willing to pay
people about $8 to $25 a month for sharing their location; Invisibly, to escape data-hungry advertisers. The subscription is meant to address the European
which offers access to paywalled news articles in exchange for Union’s concerns about Meta’s data collection processes. To be clear, users who pay will still
demographic and behavioral data; and Datacy, which lets users collect have the same amount of data collected on them. Meta just won’t use that information to
their browsing data, aggregate it with data from other users, and then show ads. Critics say this is just a distraction from a larger issue: the fact that companies are
sell it to the highest bidder. An especially unique proposition comes collecting way too much personal data to begin with. But learnings from other platforms
from a new app called Caden. Caden helps users download their data suggest that the ad-free option may have wide appeal. At the end of 2022, for example,
from apps like Amazon and Netflix and put it into a “vault.” Users who about 80 million people had signed up for a premium version of YouTube that allows them to
agree to share that data for advertising purposes can then earn a cut turn off ads. TikTok is among the many apps testing the same thing.
of the revenue that the app generates from it, which could be up to
$50 a month. But reactions to these new business models are mixed. DNA DATA EXCHANGE
While some argue that they’re allowing users to profit from data they One company’s unused data is another company’s ticket to success. Just weeks after
otherwise would be giving away for free, others say the lack of disclosing a data breach, genetic testing company 23andMe announced that it would be
standardization makes it impossible for consumers to know if they’re selling one year of anonymized DNA data to drugmaker GSK for $20 million. GSK will comb
getting a fair deal. the data for hints about genetic pathways that might be at the root of the disease, which
could significantly speed up the long, slow process of drug development. And with 23andMe
“PODS” (PERSONAL ONLINE DATA STORES) holding DNA details from more than 14 million customers, the implications are significant.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented the World Wide Web over
30 years ago, isn’t too happy with how things have turned out. His
solution is a startup called Inrupt that aims to put data back in the
hands of users. The core idea is that instead of your personal data “People and companies should be
being scattered all over the internet for anyone to grab, it should all be
stored in one place under your control. That one place is called a Pod
able to own, use, and price their data
(“personal online data store”). It would then be up to individuals to give the same way they control money.
businesses access to their data on a case-by-case basis, such as to They only need to define it, quantify it,
deliver a personalized ad or process an online application. While
skeptics say his vision is too ambitious, several supporters are
hold it in a vault, and manage it.”
optimistic that Sir Tim Berners-Lee could once again change how — Arka Ray, cofounder of The Data
the internet works.
Economics Company
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. DATA RUSH 37

WORLDCOIN CONTROVERSY EVERYDAY DATA COLLECTION

In July of last year, people around the world stood in line to Giving up our data is a cost of modern living. From smart speakers to health
have their eyeballs scanned by a shiny silver orb. In return, they trackers, we’ve gradually become accustomed to handing over our data in
were promised free cryptocurrency and a digital ID that, exchange for personalization and convenience—fueling an industry worth
among other things, would serve as proof online that they’re upward of $227 billion a year. And if you think it’s tough to avoid data collection
a human and not a bot. This is all part of Sam Altman’s heavily now, best of luck in the future. As the Internet of Things expands, there will be
hyped Worldcoin project, which has amassed over 4M app even more devices monitoring even more personal aspects of our lives. Think
downloads and raised plenty of red flags along the way. smart mirrors in store fitting rooms, toilets that make diet recommendations
Worldcoin has attempted to quell privacy concerns by based on an analysis of your poop, and even VR headsets that measure brain
reassuring people that the data is either deleted or encrypted. activity. Of course, all this tracking will certainly bring some solid perks, but in
But governments aren’t quite convinced. Kenya made the order to enjoy those perks with any peace of mind, we’ll need to have a greater
decision to suspend enrollment in August, and data regulators say in who can access our data and what they do with it.
in Argentina, Britain, France, and Portugal are all currently
launching their own investigations.

DATA AFTER DEATH WHAT’S NE T

According to a global Backslash survey, the majority (52%) of
people are concerned about who will have access to their → MAKE IT TANGIBLE
digital assets and accounts after they die, but only 33% of Help users visualize and quantify their data, turning something
people have actually done something about it. That means abstract into something more comprehensible.
millions of people’s social media accounts, digital currencies,
creative work, email logins, and photos could all be at risk of → ENABLE EXCHANGES

being left behind—or worse, stolen—once they pass away. The When users own their data, it’ll be up to them how they spend it.

good news, though, is that more estate planners and Prepare to give people the option to monetize their data, exchange

businesses are starting to pay attention. One example is Keylu, it for discounts, or even donate it to a good cause.
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
which provides a central place to safely store and manage all of
→ BE TRANSPARENT
your important online assets—making it easy to ensure that
Consumers may be willing to trade their data for a more CONNECTED OBJECTS
your information ends up in trusted hands.
personalized experience, but only if you’re upfront about the DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
benefits and implications. NON-FUNGIBLE EVERYTHING
The push to die better is forcing an antiquated end-of-
life industry to change its tune. Unsatisfied with current
limitations, society is breaking the stigma and ushering
in a more proactive, personalized, and experimental
approach. The reexamination of death is just beginning.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. DEATH UNDONE 39

GRIEF TECH DIGITAL CEMETERIES

A growing crop of startups are making it possible to continue Urban land scarcity and rapidly aging populations are forcing
interacting with your loved ones long after they’re gone. physical cemeteries in China to go digital. At Beijing’s Taiziyu
A digital version of them, that is. This includes companies like Cemetery, for instance, ashes are stored in a small
Replika, HereAfter AI, StoryFile, and Seance AI, whose compartment similar to a safe deposit box at a bank. On the
offerings range from audio legacies, to interactive video door of the compartment is an electronic screen that displays
conversations with the dead, to chatbot “companions” that pictures and videos of the deceased, creating a personalized
you can text back and- orth with. But while some welcome digital memoir for friends and family to visit. Similarly, over in
the opportunity to keep the conversation going, others Shanghai, a recently opened online mausoleum called Fu Shou
argue that it’s just allowing people to avoid the very human, Yuan allows people to create "virtual islands" with their loved
and very necessary, process of grieving. Some technology ones' pictures, digital assets, and sound files. While these
and cybersecurity experts are even advocating for the digital solutions are slowly gaining traction, making them the
addition of a “Do not bot me” clause in the estate-planning norm will require businesses to convince people that online
process, which is just one of many ongoing debates around rituals are just as meaningful, if not more, than the physical
the need for post-mortem protections. traditions that have dominated for centuries.

SHUKATSU FESTIVAL DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER CASKETS

In rapidly aging societies like Japan—where more than one in We have direct-to-consumer everything else, so why not D2C
10 people are now 80 or older—starting conversations around caskets? Typically, caskets are sold via funeral homes and cost
end-of-life planning is an especially important but especially an average of about $3,000, though they can go all the way up
daunting task. Events like the Shukatsu Festival are aiming to to $9,000+. A company called Titan is aiming to disrupt the
make it less dreadful. In addition to attending workshops on market with a cheaper, more customizable option that can be
how to practically and psychologically prepare for death, ordered from major retailers like Costco, Walmart, and Amazon
participants can plan their ideal funeral by trying out and shipped directly to your door (or wherever you want it to
different coffins, sampling makeup products and hairstyles go). And knowing that caskets aren’t exactly a sexy topic,
for when they’re laid to rest, and even taking burial portraits. Titan is using star power to spread awareness. It recently
And surprisingly, it’s not just the elderly who attend. The hired actor David Dastmalchian as its brand ambassador, and
festival attracts thousands of people each year, many of even got its products placed in Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero”
whom are in their 20s and 30s. music video.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. DEATH UNDONE 40

52% of adults globally say it is CEMETERIES TURNED LIFESTYLE CENTERS

important to them to "break the A cemetery isn’t generally high on the list of places people want to
spend their afternoon. But what if they catered not just to those in
taboo around death and be open mourning, but to ordinary citizens? That’s the mindset shift

to new end-of-life approaches." happening in South Korea, where cemeteries and columbariums are
evolving to incorporate art galleries, cafes and green spaces. One
- TBWA Disruption Index Proprietary notable example comes from Nakwon Memorial Park, a columbarium
Research in 29 countries, Q1 2024 (n=13,100) located in Gimhae, which recently made headlines for featuring art
from popular photographer Oh Joong-seok. The goal was to “make
memorial parks less dark and serious and develop them into a cultural
DEATH DOCU-SERIES
ground where visitors can come with “a relaxed mind,” signaling an
A new docu-series called “Questa cassa non è un albergo” is aiming to dispel taboos
opportunity for death to breathe new life into cities.
around death in Italy. The show goes behind the scenes of a funeral services company
called Taffo, which has become famous on social media for using humor to make the
tough conversations a little easier. This is even more challenging in Italy due to rigid
religious and cultural traditions. By giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the
Taffo family’s work—including the late-night calls, mixed emotions, and difficult
decisions that go into it—the series is humanizing a historically heavy topic.
WHAT’S NE T
→ START THE CONVERSATION → MANDATORY DEATH SETTINGS
GREEN BURIALS
Reframing death in a realistic yet What if declaring your post-death
As interest in green burials continues to increase, so too do the number of available
approachable light will turn avoidance wishes was a mandatory part of every NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
options. One such option is water cremation, whereby the body is slowly dissolved in
into action. Brands can help by creating online sign-up process—from cloud
a bag of 16O°C water. The UK’s largest funeral provider started offering water
moments for open discussion and storage services, to social media BIO-MATERIALS
cremation at the end of last year, marking the first time it was made widely available
uniting unlikely partners to jump-start profiles, to crypto wallets? Ensuring ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
in the country. Meanwhile, a group of craftswomen in the US are making
the planning process (think financial that digital inheritance was never an AVATAR IDENTITIES
biodegradable caskets out of locally zsourced willow—serving as a natural,
advisors X death doulas). afterthought. EXTENDED REALITY
homegrown alternative to imported coffins.
Is humanity doomed? Projections for a bleak future are leading a growing
group of people to say “yes.” As end-of-times thinking takes root, a feeling
of collective indifference will threaten the path to progress. To reignite
a sense of individual responsibility, we’ll need to convert nihilists
into optimists.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. DEMISE DUALITY 42

REVOLT AGAINST HUMANITY FUTURE CHICKEN AI LONGTERMISM DEBATE

Throughout history, it’s been largely agreed upon that we should try A new show is using animated chickens to combat Longtermism, an idea first proposed in 1984 and more recently
to postpone humanity’s extinction for as long as possible. But that climate doomism for six to 10-year-olds. Developed by popularized by William MacAskill’s 2022 book “What We Owe the
assumption is now being challenged by an increasingly vocal group of Star Wars veteran Catherine Winder, Future Chicken stars Future,” is an ethical stance that prioritizes humanity’s long-term
thinkers. For deeper insight into this mindset, look no further than a time-traveling eco-superhero chicken called Potato and future over the present. Interestingly, it has become especially
Adam Kirsch’s new book, “The Revolt Against Humanity.” He puts his her sidekick Frittata (an egg who wears rocket pants). celebrated among Silicon Valley’s tech billionaires like Elon Musk
position bluntly: “The end of humanity’s reign on Earth is imminent, Their mission? To spark positive change in the present because of the way it quantifies moral dilemmas. If there are 7.8 billion
and...we should welcome it.” This idea unites two camps that might and safeguard our planet for the future. Research shows people alive today but 80 billion people could be born in the future,
otherwise seem to be at odds. At one end, there’s the the that this kind of optimism actually encourages more longtermism says we should prioritize those future lives. The same
“Anthropocene antihumanists,” who believe that humans have caused sustainable behaviors, whereas spreading climate doom logic is now being applied to AI, leading to conversations that focus on
the ecological crisis, and therefore we should welcome our self- only leads to apathy and inaction. “It’s a tone that we hypothetical future threats rather than confronting the ways in which
destruction as a just payment for our crimes. On the other end are the hope will inspire kids—and us all—to be the heroes the AI is already causing harm today. Journalists and AI ethicists are
“transhumanists,” who believe the only way forward for humanity is to planet needs right now,” said Marie McCann of CBC Kids. pleading for leaders to zoom back in and address the current crises
create new forms of intelligent life. And though these groups may be first. “The existential threat isn't just on the horizon. It's staring us in
niche for now, their momentum suggests that they could have greater PSYCHEDELIC CENTERS the face,” writes Bloomberg Opinion columnist Parmy Olson.
influence on politics and society in the years to come. With existential anxiety on the rise, neurologists and
artists alike are arguing that psychedelics could become
ANTINATALISM part of the solution. The thinking is that by using drugs to
Is it morally sound to bring children into a world that seems to be boost individual well-being and make people realize how
crumbling? According to a growing number of Millennials and Gen Z, interdependent we are, psychedelic treatments can
the answer is no. Once considered fringe, antinatalism—the view that eventually lead to a broader societal transformation.
it’s morally impermissible to bring a child into existence—is moving “People tend to think they’re not worth saving, and then
into mainstream discussions. Some antinatalists point to climate extrapolate that to the world,” said Berra Yazar-Klosinski,
change, others point to the threat of societal collapse, but all agree chief scientific officer at MAPS PBC. “They think, ‘Why
that the best way to do right by future generations is to not create should I extend my narrow runway of life to saving the
them. With 60% of the world’s population living in countries where planet?’” For some advocates in the space, the ultimate
fertility rates are dropping, governments are doubling down on goal is to develop a network of psychedelic centers
pronatalist policies in response. → For more, watch Backslash’s where patients are treated and then put in touch with
episode of Life on the Edge: Antinatalism. one another so they become part of something bigger.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. DEMISE DUALITY 43

“What keeps me up at night is neither SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM

It’s not just your imagination–the headlines are getting darker. Because
the myriad extinction scenarios that negativity drives stronger reactions and more media consumption, news

threaten our species nor the mad networks are financially motivated to keep people frantic and fired up. But the

scientists and billionaires who aspire to Solutions Journalism Network wants to break the cycle. The global network is
focusing on what mainstream news misses most often: how people are trying
solve them. What keeps me up at night to solve problems and what we can learn from their successes or failures.

is our collective indifference to both.” PROTOPIA MOVEMENT

— Tyler Austin Harper, SLATE You’ve heard of utopias and dystopias, but what about protopias? The concept,
which debuted in a 2010 book by Kevin Kelly titled “What Technology Wants,”
refers to a society that makes incremental progress of a long period of time—
“THE HEAT WILL KILL YOU FIRST” much of which is attributed to technological advancement. Protopia didn’t
Journalist Jeff Goodell wants people to take heat much more seriously. In his new exactly make waves when the book first came out, but it has since gained
book, “The Heat Will Kill You First,” Goodell details how rising temperatures will have traction and inspired the creation of dedicated groups. There’s Protopian Futures,
devastating effects not just on the environment, but on human health—telling tragic a platform for anyone interested in creating a “positive and realistic future.” As
stories of real people who have been killed by extreme heat. Goodell’s stance is that well as The Protopia Lab, a Barcelona-based nonprofit that holds face-to-face
these tragedies have become all too routine, leading to a kind of complacency and workshops for people exploring diverse approaches to society’s most urgent
acceptance of our worsening environmental crisis. He even argues that the very term issues. Though ideas will differ, that’s kind of the point. The website describes
“global warming” is too gentle, making it sound “as if the most notable impact of our Protopia Lab as an antidote to the polarized “us-versus-them activism.”
burning fossil fuels will be better beach weather.” But rather than fixating solely on this
inconvenient truth, the book highlights what can still be done to turn things around.

WHAT’S NE T
→ REINSPIRE HOPE
In a sea of tragic headlines, a little optimism can go a long way toward
motivating people to take action.

→ GIVE EVERYONE A ROLE NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

Not knowing where to start often prevents people from starting at all.
By offering clear direction, brands can make it easier for people to do EMOTION AI
their part to improve our world. NEURAL CONTROL
With today’s cities clearly not serving us or the planet, urban
planners are dreaming up wildly different future. These ambitious
experiments will bring a mix of old and new ideas, and a fresh
appreciation for greener, more resilient designs. Expect future-
proof cities to redefine aspirational living.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. FUTURE UTOPIAS 45

SPONGE CITIES
A warmer atmosphere is supercharging storms, making
URBAN SWIMMING OASES
Cities around the world have been working to restore rivers and
“We haven’t yet figured out how to make utopian
flooding a growing problem everywhere from Zhengzhou, make them cleaner for public use—citing benefits like physical environments work for people. We have a long
China to Seoul, South Korea to Cologne, Germany to New recreation and connection to nature. Now, as we settle in for a road ahead to make improvements that will both
York City. In response, urban planners are reimagining cities
as sponges. “You are actually playing tai chi with nature,
future of frequent heat waves, those projects are taking on a
new urgency. In Paris, the government is spending €1.4 billion
preserve the environment and improve our
not boxing with nature,” explains Yu Kongjian, who is ($1.5 billion) to make the River Seine swimmable ahead of the quality of life.”
championing the concept in China. This requires replacing 2024 Olympics. In London. There’s growing pressure to improve
— Sylvie Albert, Professor at the University of Winnipeg
“gray infrastructure” like concrete sidewalks and asphalt the water of the River Thames. In Melbourne, there are calls for
roads with more green spaces that can capture and absorb a chain of swimming spots along the Yarra River (Birrarung).
water—a win-win for residents as well as the planet. And in New York City, an organization called +Pool is working
For places where greenery can’t be deployed, like parking to bring a floating swimming pool to the East River, providing a
lots and alleys, cities are also introducing more space for New Yorkers to play, lounge, and swim laps. Looking
permeable surfaces. forward, these natural swimming areas will be considered an
essential escape from rising temperatures.
SAUDI GIGAPROJECTS
“If you build it, they will come.” That’s the philosophy of WOODEN CITY
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, who is investing hundreds Sweden is set to begin construction on the world’s largest
of billions of dollars to build fantastical cities and iconic wooden city in 2025. Known as Stockholm Wood City, the
lifestyle destinations that he hopes will attract tourists. forest-inspired development will be made with fire-proofed
It’s all part of a larger Vision 2023 plan that seeks to mass timber and will include 7,000 offices and 2,000 homes,
diversify the country's economy away from oil. The biggest along with restaurants and shops. The project aims to show
and most famous project within this plan is Neom, a region what’s possible when sustainability is at the core of a project
that’s home to The Line (a linear, car-free city of 9 million from beginning to end. In addition to using mass timber, which
inhabitants that’s fully enclosed by a mirrored facade), has a much smaller carbon footprint than concrete and steel,
Oxagon (a floating industrial city), Trojena (a new Stockholm Wood City is embracing the walkable 15-minute city
destination for sustainable mountain tourism), and more. model to help decrease emissions from transportation. Another
Construction of this megacity is now well underway, bonus? Studies show that living and working around wood
and the world is watching closely in anticipation. lowers stress and improves well-being.
 FUTURE UTOPIAS 46

VILLAGE REVIVAL “NO-ILLNESS” FLOATING CITY

You’ve likely seen the headlines declaring a worldwide epidemic Floating cities—once the material of science fiction—are becoming a reality as sea
of loneliness. What’s less often talked about, though, is how levels continue to rise. Two trailblazing projects are currently underway in Busan,
modern housing is contributing to the problem. One company South Korea and the Maldives, marking the first but certainly not the last trials of
aiming to turn things around is Denmark-based Almenr, where life on the water. Another company that believes in the idea is Japanese startup N-
citizens act as co-developers of shared housing communities. Ark, which recently unveiled a floating city concept called Dogen City. The city has
All of the houses are built with sustainable materials, but more a smart healthcare focus, meaning residents’ health would be regularly monitored
importantly, they’re built to foster meaningful connections. By and medical tourism would be one of its driving economies. It’s also designed to
scaling back to hubs of 20 to 50 families, Almenr is recreating a withstand the worst. In the case of a natural disaster, Dogen City would be capable
village environment where neighbors actually interact and look of breaking off into its own standalone island. Plus, the city would be open to
after one another. Consider it an ode to the good ole days. hosting climate refugees and victims of other natural disasters when called upon.
→ For more, watch Backslash’s episode of
Life on the Edge: Village Revival

TELOSA WHAT’S NE T
Rather than setting out to just be the greenest city, the most
livable city, or the most equitable city, Telosa is aiming to do it all. → PROTOTYPE AND TEST → GO LOCAL
The city—set to be built in the American desert by 2030—will run Use this as an opportunity to trial new technologies and ways of living. From Consider smaller store formats closer to
almost exclusively on renewable energy, will feature aeroponic smart appliances to disaster-proof building materials, the time to shape the places of residence—reducing the need
farms and greened high-rises, and will be easily manageable by next era of urban planning is now. for transportation.
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
foot or by public transport. As for the “equitable” part, Telosa will
deliberately bring in diverse residents who will be able to directly → EXPAND THE ROLE OF YOUR PHYSICAL FOOTPRINT → REFURBISH FIRST
influence political decisions. Marc Lore, the billionaire behind the As citizens strive for a happier, greener way of life, businesses should Rather than automatically tearing down BIO-MATERIALS

idea, also says resources will be communal and no one will pay reevaluate which emerging needs their stores and office spaces can fulfill. and rebuilding from scratch, businesses can MODULAR DESIGN

taxes. Instead, a foundation would invest the money from leases in save resources by giving existing builds a CONNECTED OBJECTS

social services. While many say Telosa sounds far too good to be new lease on life. WORLDBUILDING

true, Lore is seeking $400 billion in financing to prove them wrong.

The fight against inequality is growing more
nuanced. No longer just a wealth gap—the climate
gap, health gap, education gap, and digital divide
are exposing the very real consequences of rising
inequality. In the race to rebalance the scales,
unlocking access is the next big market opportunity.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. GAP COLLAPSE 48

EXAM EQUALITY
The South Korean government is setting out to fix a long-standing problem
that could be tied to its education and population crisis: the college entrance exam. The eight-
hour exam is notoriously difficult—putting immense pressure on parents to invest in private
tutors and leaving those who can’t afford extra classes with a massive disadvantage. To level
the playing field, the government has now decided to make the exam easier by removing “killer
questions” that aren’t typically covered in public school curriculum. The goal, according to
Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, is “to break the vicious cycle of private education that increases
the burden for parents and subsequently erodes fairness in education.”

MOVE AFRIKA
International music tours—and the economic boost they bring—tend to skip over Africa. A new
concert series led by Kendrick Lamar’s creative services company and advocacy organization
Global Citizen is setting out to change that. The series, called Move Afrika, kicked off in Kigali,
Rwanda, in December and will expand to five additional African countries by 2025. Beyond just
offering entertainment, the initiative will develop crucial infrastructure that has long prevented
major artists from performing in Africa. And the financial impact could be significant. Last year,
for example, a one-day music festival in Accra that featured Usher, SZA, and local talent brought
in more than $15 million.

BEAUTY TAX
The “You’re not ugly, you’re just poor” memes might have started as a joke, but they reflect a very COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS
real reality: today’s beauty tax is higher than ever. Beyond the now-standard beauty maintenance What if property prices were based on your income? This radical idea is now a
routines (manicures, hair dye and blowouts, eyebrows, eyelash extensions, teeth whitening, etc.), reality thanks to a new housing scheme in London. After years of community
cosmetic procedures like injectables and surgeries have become readily available and therefore campaigning, the London borough of Lewisham is experimenting with
more normalized—further raising the already high bar for what it takes to be considered beautiful Community Land Trusts (CLTs)—an equitable housing concept that dates back
today. Those who can’t afford these “tweakments” are penalized socially.‘‘Poorly groomed’ to the 1960s. Rather than homes being investments for the highest bidders,
women stand to earn 40% less than their beautified counterparts, while attractive people are they become a long-term community stewardship project. These new homes
over 20% more likely to be called back for a job interview, and are perceived to be more socially are built by the local community, for the local community, and are sold at a
skilled, trustworthy, confident and competent. “If you’re white, middle class and you’ve got a price that will remain affordable to people on average local wages—forever.
good job, you don’t need these things as much,” says Ruth Holliday, professor in Gender and The success of Citizens House is helping speed up six similar projects
Culture at the University of Leeds. “It’s when you’re marginalized that this beauty work becomes throughout London proper. And these developments aren’t alone. There are
so much more important.” 350 CLTs across England and Wales, with an additional 200 in development.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. GAP COLLAPSE 49

CLIMATE LOSS AND DAMAGE FUND SOCIAL SECURITY FOR FOOD

In a historic move, wealthy nations responsible for the With 3.1 billion people unable to afford healthy food, France and Belgium
majority of emissions pledged a combined total of just over are trialing “social security for food.” Much like how people pay into
$700M to help compensate countries struggling to cope with universal healthcare, citizens in a food security scheme would pay a
loss and damage caused by climate change. The decision was portion of their salary into a fund. The state would then provide an
adopted on day one of the 2023 U.N. climate conference, allowance that enables individuals and families to buy groceries. While
where France and Italy committed $108M to the fund, Dubai both trials are still in their infancy, they’re showing early signs of success
and Germany promised $100 million, the US pledged $15.5M, and are set to expand elsewhere—potentially marking a shift from food
and Japan offered $10M. But so far, pledges have fallen short as a commodity to food as a universal right.
of what’s needed. A recent report by the United Nations
estimates that up to $387 billion will be needed annually if
developing countries are to adapt to climate-driven changes.
WHAT’S NE T
→ UNLOCK ACCESS TO THE ESSENTIALS
YOUTH SPORTS GAP
Health, food, education, finance, energy, and telecom brands, listen
Physical activity is becoming more and more of a privileged
up. As inequality worsens, businesses will increasingly be expected
pursuit. A US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
to make up for gaps in government services.
study found that 70% of children from families with incomes
above about $105,000 participated in sports in 2020, whereas → THINK BEYOND ONE-TIME AID
participation was around 51% for families in a middle-income What kind of tools and resources will continue to provide and protect
range, and just 31% for families at or below the poverty line. for the long term?
A combination of factors is responsible. On the one hand,
spending cuts have resulted in more public schools cutting → OPEN-SOURCE GENEROSITY
physical education classes and organized sports. And at the In addition to spreading physical resources, businesses can spread
same time, privatized youth sports leagues have exploded intel and ideas in order to solve shared problems.
into a multibillion-dollar enterprise. But these leagues come
with a high price tag. Between club-team fees, uniforms, NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

equipment, travel to and from tournaments, and private

coaching, fewer families are able to afford access to ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
competitive sports. And with participation in sports having DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
significant implications for success later in life, it’s an issue NON-FUNGIBLE EVERYTHING
that extends far beyond childhood. LO-FI DESIGN
Our gender no longer defines us. And we don’t want
it to. From fashion to family dynamics, we’re unraveling
the roles that gender boxed us into and doing away
with binary gender divisions. As we move past male/
female stereotypes, we’ll lean into new identity
markers that transcend our physical sex.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. GENDER RULES 51

MUTING MISOGYNIST LYRICS DOUBLE SURNAMES

The Mexican city of Chihuahua is banning artists from singing misogynist A growing number of countries are reevaluating the gender bias that’s
lyrics in live music venues. Artists who defy the law will face a penalty of baked into family naming systems. Last year, Germany announced plans
up to 1.2 million pesos ($71,000 USD), and all fines will be donated to to allow couples to take double-barreled surnames and pass them on
women’s programs and shelters across Chihuahua. The ban comes as to their children for the first time, which could go into effect in 2025 if
gender-based violence reaches “pandemic” levels, with 70% of calls to approved. Similarly, the Netherlands has passed a new act that allows
Chihuahua city police related to domestic violence. Whether or not this parents to give their children a double surname as of this year.
measure will be effective in reducing violence remains to be seen. But Supporters say these landmark judgments will help erase outdated
with art as a reflection of society, it is, without a doubt, making a strong ideas of a patriarchal family.
statement about what kind of language will no longer be tolerated.
GENDERLESS SECONDHAND SHOPPING
RIGHT TO COMPETE Genderless clothing collections have been on the rise over the last
Trans rights advocates have warned sports governing bodies that several years, with participation from independent labels like
blanket bans on transgender women from competing in women’s WILDFANG, One DNA, mainstream brands like Adidas, and even luxury
categories risk “violating fundamental human rights principles.” This labels. A less expected driver of the trend though, as pointed out by
followed World Athletics (WA) President Sebastian Coe’s March 2023 Refinery29, is the rise of secondhand shopping. Thrift stores have long
announcement of new regulations, which prohibit “male-to-female followed a gender-neutral layout—often organizing clothes by style,
transgender athletes” from participating in female world rankings decade, or color rather than by “men’s” or “women’s.” And while this
competitions. This means routes to the 2024 Paris Olympics will be fluidity has always been a selling point for queer customers, the
closed for female transgender athletes—many of whom are mainstream appeal of thrifting now has the potential to reshape the
speaking out about their dreams being shattered. shopping experience for entire generations to come.

MALE PERMS
Men are mad for perms. Once primarily popular in South Korea, the Most Gen Z and Millennials feel their
wavy hairstyle has recently gone global thanks to social media and the
meteoric rise of K-pop. On TikTok, videos related to “men perm” have over
gender identities fall on a spectrum, with
3.5 billion views, with many men saying it’s a low-effort way to switch 63% agreeing that “masculinity” and
up your look and gain some confidence. So why is the look making a “femininity” are styles that any gender can
comeback now? Just as more men are wearing makeup and rocking nail
polish, the rise of the boy perm symbolizes a larger shift away from
try on and take off when they want to.
antiquated male beauty standards. — YPulse
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. GENDER RULES 52

CRISIS OF MASCULINITY RECLAIMING GIRLHOOD

While the past 50 years have been revolutionary for women, Being a Swiftie and expressing a love of Barbie once came
there hasn’t exactly been a parallel movement to redefine the role with a flavor of shame. But no more. Between the Eras Tour
of men in a changing world. As a result, many men are left without making history as the highest-grossing tour ever and Great
a clear blueprint for what it means to “be a man” today, leading to Gerwig’s “Barbie” becoming the biggest movie of 2023, it’s
what experts are calling a crisis of masculinity. Part of the problem clear that women (and men) of all ages are ready to embrace
is that we’ve been so focused on tearing down the toxic aspects their femininity on their own terms—giving themselves full
of old-school masculinity that we forgot to rebuild a more positive permission to be giddy and cheesy and emotional without
version. And with men in the Western world falling behind women in a hint of irony. It’s a new era of less patronizing and more
education, work, and well-being, the need for nuanced role models genuine female empowerment—sparkly pink outfits included.
and productive conversations is becoming increasingly urgent.

FEMALE HOMEOWNERSHIP REBELLION

For a growing number of single women in China, owning a home
is becoming a form of resistance against restrictive gender roles. WHAT’S NE T
A recent survey by China Youth Daily found that nearly 94% of
respondents approved of single women buying property, with → FLIP THE SCRIPT
two-thirds saying it signaled a desire for gender equality. Beike Beyond just avoiding stereotypes, brands can spur positive
Zhaofang, one of the country’s biggest online property agencies, cultural change with advertisements that completely turn
has also said that women who either purchase homes on their own gender norms on their head.
or with a partner now make up more than half of their buyers in the
→ CHECK YOURSELF
southern city of Changsha. This marks a significant shift away from
Are you categorizing products “for men” or “for women” in a
deep-rooted cultural norms where men are expected to buy a home
way that’s limiting? Is your branding or packaging reinforcing
in order to be eligible for marriage—an arrangement that often
outdated gender ideals?
leaves women at risk of being kicked out in case of an argument or
divorce. As one female homeowner explains: “This gives me
→ BREAK THE BIAS
confidence that if I do get married, I won’t be afraid of anything. Host experiences that cross gender lines and prove biases NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
Even if I leave him, I can live independently.” wrong. A lived experience can be more powerful than a
digital message. AVATAR IDENTITIES
A once-sterile healthcare industry is taking cues from
the pleasurable parts of wellness, ushering in a more
holistic and hyper-personalized approach. As wellness
becomes both a lifestyle and a belief system, everyday
rituals will get a self-care makeover. Who says the
journey to better health can’t be enjoyable?
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. HEALTH HEDONISM 54

SMART TATTOOS SPIRITUAL CONCIERGE

Smart tattoos could be the next wearables. These medical tattoos would replace Over the years, wellness amenities like ice baths and in-house spas have
conventional ink with color-changing “functional materials” that detect changes in become commonplace in luxury buildings. Now, in a bid to stand out,
blood sugar levels, monitor kidney or liver functions, and warn athletes of dehydration. more buildings are upping the ante with “spiritual concierges.” The role
The ink would change colors in response to these changes, allowing for visible, real- of these concierges is to connect residents with mental and emotional
time monitoring of what’s happening inside your body. The researchers behind the health experts. The Maverick Chelsea in New York, for example, offers an
project believe smart tattoos are the ideal middle ground between wearables and on-call spiritual concierge who recommends the best aura readers, reiki
implants. They’re minimally invasive, 100% comfortable, they can’t be hacked, and healers, and meditation teachers around. Meanwhile, Mexico’s One&Only
they’ll never run out of battery. As for what’s next, Dr. Ali Yetisen predicts that “in the Mandarina Private Homes employs a spiritual aid—a shaman, to be exact
next decade, human skin will serve as an interactive display in order to show a wide —who leads a traditional Mexican sage ceremony for interested buyers
range of biomarker changes.” to bless their new homes. These new offerings collide with a more
holistic understanding of wellness, which is increasingly expanding to
IN-FLIGHT WELLNESS include emotional and spiritual health. According to a recent survey by
Australian airline Qantas is introducing the world’s first in-flight Wellness Zone in late John Burns Real Estate Consulting, the majority of homeowners and
2025, which will offer dedicated space for passengers to stretch, hydrate, and even renters say that mental well-being is their top priority when seeking
take part in guided on-screen exercises. On the premium end of the spectrum, private a new property.
aviation company VistaJet is taking airborne wellness even further with its new
Wellness 360 Program. Before even stepping foot on the plane, passengers will consult WORKOUT DECOR
with VistaJet’s expert nutritionists to ensure their in-flight meals are tailored to their You no longer need to hide away your ugly workout gear thanks to a new
specific health needs. Once in the air, they’ll then enjoy ergonomic seating, daylight home-training collection from Ikea. All 19 items in the product line (called
simulation technology that helps synchronize their internal body clocks to the time ‘Dajlien’) are designed to double as home decor, including mint green,
zone of their destination, and access to meditation and breathing apps. donut-shaped dumbbells; a bamboo workout bench that also functions
as a coffee table; and exercise mats that resemble stylish rugs. The
PLENAPAUSA designers behind the project wanted to ease pressures around doing
Menopause, a stigmatized and often ignored stage of a woman’s life, is gaining fresh intense hour-long gym workouts, and instead create items that would
attention thanks to startups like Plenapausa. The femtech company is the first in Brazil inspire people to incorporate movement at home—whether that be
to address menopause care holistically—offering in-depth learning resources, support having a dance party with your kid or lifting some weights while you’re
meetings, products, and customized care journeys. With almost two-thirds of women on the phone. “You could say it’s a bridge between your home and your
feeling unprepared for menopause, Plenapausa is aiming to start a more open active life,” says designer Akanksha Deo.
conversation about the physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that come with it.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. HEALTH HEDONISM 55

“Wellness is almost an CORPORATE COLD PLUNGE

aspirational obsession for

A cultural obsession with wellness has officially spilled
over into the business world—making ice baths and infrared
some and close to religious saunas the hot new networking spots. Grand Dynamics,

dogma for others.” a company based in Jackson, Wyoming, that organizes more
than 100 executive retreats and team-building events a year,
— Rina Raphael, author of The Gospel says more than half its corporate clients now request some
of Wellness
type of cold-immersion experience. Meanwhile, social
wellness club Remedy Place has also seen an influx of

DEMENTIA VILLAGES coworkers coming in to talk business while getting a

A society looking to age better is trading sterile, isolated senior centers for vitamin drip or doing cryotherapy. For those looking to

vibrant communities. Hogeweyks in Amsterdam was one of the first so-called destress in a healthier way, wellness treatments are the

“dementia villages” to pop up in 2009, inspiring the development of several new corporate happy hour.

similar projects around the world. One example is Carpe Diem in Baerum,
Norway, where residents are free to roam between an urban square,
landscaped spaces, outdoor walking paths, and a “street” with a pub, salon,
and boutique. Most notable is that locals of all ages are invited inside the
village to participate in activities, dine, or to simply enjoy the grounds. With
WHAT’S NE T
more than 78 million people expected to be living with dementia by 2030,
→ LEND SOME MOTIVATION
experts hope these projects will eventually not just resemble real towns,
Monetary incentives, playful challenges, and
but be real towns that seamlessly integrate seniors with the rest of society.
gamification can make the more dreaded aspects
of healthcare fun.
GROCERY UTOPIAS
As more grocers look to move further into the health and wellness space, → AVOID ELITISM
it’s predicted that they’ll begin to offer subscriptions that link food and To shed its exclusionary reputation, health and wellness
pharmacy options. One supermarket leading the way is Hy-Vee. In May 2023, brands will need to unlock affordable forms of self-care
Hy-Vee launched a $99/month “Healthy You” membership program that for the masses.
includes food-as-medicine counseling, preventative health screenings,
fitness videos, meal workshops, and more. While Hy-Vee’s program is a good → PROVIDE PROOF NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

indication of where things are going, it’s only just the start. Looking further When everything is being sold as “wellness,” the word
ahead, such memberships could also include discounts on healthy food items can quickly lose its meaning. Wellness brands can gain EMOTION AI
and relevant medications. And, in an ideal world, their cost would be partially credibility by partnering with medical professionals and ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
covered by insurance. backing up their claims with clear scientific evidence. CONNECTED OBJECTS
Governments and brands are monitoring our every move. Whether
via smart devices in our homes or cameras on street corners,
surveillance is being normalized both with and without our consent.
But while 24/7 tracking is becoming the price of admission into
modern society, the fight for privacy isn’t over just yet.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. HELICOPTER TECH 57

ATTENTION TRACKING FACIAL RECOGNITION ENTRY POINTS

Brands spend big money to place advertisements inside professional sports Your face is quickly becoming your ticket into everything from flights to theme
venues. But is anyone actually looking at them? A company called CrowdIQ is parks. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is preparing to
helping marketers figure that out, and they’re doing it by taking a whole lot of expand its controversial facial recognition program to around 430 airports over
pictures. CrowdIQ sets up two cameras that snap photos of the crowd every the next several years after finding “extremely promising” results from its pilot
15 minutes or so, while a third camera that’s designed for attention tracking program; Disneyland now takes your picture in order to verify your
takes a photo every other second. AI then scans the frames and spits out identification when you leave the park and re-enter; Carnival Cruise ships takes
insights on fan demographics and behaviors. More specifically, it can determine photos of passengers each time they get on and off the ship to keep track of
the age and gender breakdown of the crowd, what they’re wearing (which who’s aboard; and visitors to the theme parks on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi can
also indicates which team they’re rooting for), and what they’re looking at now use a facial recognition system for entry and to buy food and souvenirs.
throughout the game. It even collects data around when they leave their seats. These systems will increasingly offer shorter lines and fewer physical or digital
Though CrowdIQ insists that its tech can’t identify who anybody in the crowd documents to keep track of, but the added convenience comes at a cost.
is, it’s still an unsettling reminder that we’re always being watched.
SHOPPER SURVEILLANCE
CLASSROOM EAVESDROPPING Coles, Australia’s second largest grocery chain, is doubling down on
Anxious parents in South Korea are using bugs to eavesdrop on teachers. surveillance in order to tackle rising theft. Cameras will now track shoppers as
These small voice recording devices are integrated into necklaces, badges, soon as they enter the store, recording where they go and what they pick up.
or keychains that are sent with their kids to school, allowing parents to listen in Once they get to the checkout, cameras above the self-checkout machines will
on what’s happening in the classroom. Accounts of parental spying come amid track all items being scanned and bagged. If someone tries to leave the store
news reports of teachers abusing their students either verbally or physically. with unscanned items, smart gates will lock them in automatically and an alarm
And while teachers understand the concern, they’re also expressing frustration will sound. Staff will also now wear cameras as part of their uniform. These
over the lack of trust between parents and teachers. measures are being put in place to combat a 20% rise in store theft, which costs
retailers a whopping $9 billion a year. And Coles isn’t the only one fighting back.
Other retailers are adding facial recognition technology in order to identify
repeat offenders, and Walmart is even building a police workstation inside a
recently opened store in Atlanta.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. HELICOPTER TECH 58

DELIVERY ROBOT SPIES ACTIVE LISTENING

Those adorable robots delivering your food might know more People have long been paranoid that their phones are listening in on their conversations. So much so, that
than you think. An investigation found that Serve Robotics, Facebook even had to come out and publicly deny it. But as it turns out, some marketing companies might
which delivers food for Uber Eats, provided footage filmed by be listening after all—or at least, they’re claiming to be. In paperwork used to attract new clients, a
at least one of its robots to the Los Angeles Police marketing team at Cox Media Group (CMG) says it listens to customers through the embedded microphones
Department as evidence in a criminal case. The emails show in their smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices in order to serve them targeted ads in real time, 404
that these robots, which are becoming a regular sight in cities Media reports. The document stated that “Yes, our phones are listening to us,” and “CMG has tech
around the world, can be used for surveillance. Between capabilities to use to your business advantage.” The post has since been removed, but it has left many
delivery robots, autonomous cars, and home security people even more skeptical of the several devices in their home that may or may not be tuned in.
cameras, we can expect more video exchanges between tech

WHAT’S NE T
companies and law enforcement in the future.

META SMART GLASSES

The new generation of Meta’s Smart Glasses are even more → PRACTICE RADICAL TRANSPARENCY

stylish and discreet than the last. The high-tech specs look Don’t collect or leverage people’s personal information in ways that you wouldn’t be proud to advertise.

like a regular pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, but they’re equipped

→ GIVE OPTIONS
with two tiny cameras and a speaker that allow the wearer to
While some people may choose to opt in to tracking in exchange for convenience or personalization,
take photos and videos on the sly, and even send them to
others won’t be so willing. Present customers with clear choices, or be prepared for them to
friends in real time via a simple voice command. Most notably
go elsewhere.
of all, Smart Glasses wearers can now livestream footage
directly to Instagram and Facebook. Privacy advocates warn
that these glasses will make it even harder to tell who might
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
be recording a video or sneakily snapping pictures in public.
So next time you see someone wearing Ray-Bans, you might
AMBIENT INTERFACES CONNECTED OBJECTS UNTETHERED AUDIO
want to take a closer look.
Inclusivity isn’t a checkbox, it’s a form of design thinking.
As expectations around inclusivity skyrocket, hypercritical
consumers will sniff out tokenism and expose empty promises.
Genuine inclusion requires an entirely new blueprint—building
laws, spaces, products, and experiences to be accessible from
the bottom up. A fairer future awaits.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN 60

“Inclusivity is not a single action or target, but an ongoing practice that

encompasses everything from physical access to racial equity, gender
parity and more. Brands that recognize this are increasingly leading
cultural conversations—and those that don't are falling behind.“
— Emilia Morano-Williams, Senior Editor of Consumer
Attitudes & Technology, Stylus

SENSORY-FRIENDLY SPACES ADAPTIVE INTIMATES

Between fluorescent lights, loud music, and busy crowds, public For the first time, Victoria’s Secret has introduced a collection of bras and
spaces can be extremely overwhelming for people with sensory panties specifically designed for women with disabilities. Among the
issues. Thankfully, brands are starting to take note. Walmart recently collection’s adaptive features are magnetic closures, sensory-friendly
announced the return of sensory-friendly shopping hours where TV fabric, fully adjustable and convertible front straps, and underwear with
displays will go static, the radio will be turned off, and lights will be magnetic side closures. The retailer developed the collection in
dimmed; every U. Legoland Resort is now a Certified Autism Center consultation with GAMUT Management, a consulting firm that works with
with sensory guides, quiet rooms and planning resources; and AMC and for people with disabilities. VS & PINK Adaptive is significant not just
Theatres offers sensory-friendly movie showings where the lights are because it comes from a mainstream retailer, but because it’s proving that
turned up and the sound turned down. The shift is taking place in the accessible intimates can be comfortable, functional, and sexy all at the
tourism sector too. One leader to watch is Phillip Island Nature Parks, same time.
which is working to transform the entire island into Australia’s first FEEL THE MUSIC
sensory-inclusive tourist town. NIXING GENERATIONAL LABELS Just because the deaf community can’t hear music doesn’t mean they can’t
Pew Research Center is taking a refreshing new stance on generational feel it. Just ask Music: Not Impossible, an innovation studio using haptic
NEURODIVERGENT JOB MATCHING reporting. Last year, the think tank announced that they’ll “only do suits to make musical experiences more accessible. The company’s
Unemployment for neurodivergent adults runs at least as high as 30% generational analysis when we have historical data that allows us to wearable device consists of two ankle bands, two wristbands, and a
to 40%—three times the rate for people with disability and eight times compare generations at similar stages of life.” In other words, when Pew backpack—all of which translate individual notes of music into specific
the rate for people without disability. Yet research shows that researchers want to look at people born around the same time, they won’t vibrations. Deaf composer and musician Jay Alan Zimmerman explains
neurodivergent employees can make teams up to 30% more be looking at whether young adults today are different from older adults, that “[vibrations] can go directly to your body at the exact same moment,
productive when placed in the right environment. Helping to bridge but how young adults today compared to young adults previously. The and there’s real potential for you to actually feel music in your body.”
that gap is Mentra—a startup leveraging AI to match neurodivergent intent is to move away from flashy headlines that reduce an entire While originally designed for the deaf community, Music: Not Impossible’s
jobseekers with their ideal position. Built by three autistic co-founders generation to a single stereotype, such as that Baby Boomers are “selfish”, technology is elevating music for everyone. At a recent silent disco in New
and backed by funding from Sam Altman, Mentra is bringing diversity Gen Xers are “cynical and disaffected”, Millennials are “entitled and lazy”, and York City, for instance, all attendees—including people with and without
of thought to some of the world’s biggest companies. Gen Zers are “civic-minded. As more marketers and media companies follow hearing loss—wore the suit for a shared tactile experience.
suit, we could soon see less clickbait and more nuanced insights.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN 61

OKY PHILIPPINES VC DIVERSITY REPORTING WHAT’S NE T

Oky Philippines is a menstrual health app made by Filipino girls, for Filipino As of March 1, 2025, any venture capital firm operating in
girls. It includes a period tracker, educational information, and daily cards the state of California will be required to publicly report → START SMALL
featuring quizzes, mood tracking, and a journal—all of which have been the diversity of the founders they are backing each year— Address practical and functional accessibility issues first. To do so, work hand
specialized to fit the social and cultural context of the Philippines, where including their race, disability status, and whether they’re a in hand with the community you’re designing for to identify the problems and
periods still carry a heavy stigma. Diversity was a key focus of the member of the LGBTQ+ community. Given California accounts prototype solutions.
development process as well. To ensure a range of needs were accounted for nearly 50% of the world’s venture capital, the landmark
for, the project team consulted with indigenous peoples, out-of-school law will have far-reaching impacts. And it may be the start → DESIGN FOR ONE, SCALE TO MANY
youth, and children with disabilities all across the Philippines. They also of a much larger transparency movement. According to tech Unlock innovation by optimizing places, products, services, and communications for
partnered with the local government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous policy advocates who helped ideate the bill, they are “already specific users with specific needs. Different kinds of design—whether for people
Region of Muslim Mindanao to share reproductive health information from in discussions with leaders in other states and countries who with disabilities or underrepresented groups—will unlock different outcomes.
an Islamic perspective. are interested in enacting similar policies.”
→ PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES
VR can help people literally see the world from a different perspective, whether that
SILENT UNITY LEVI’S ARTIFICIAL DIVERSITY
be from the vantage point of a wheelchair or through the eyes of someone who is
In May 2023, sign language was recognized by law as South Africa’s 12th Last year, Levi’s announced that it would be experimenting
visually impaired. With more firsthand experiences will come more inclusive designs.
official language. A few months later marked Deaf Awareness Month and the with AI-generated avatars as a way to increase the diversity
start of the Rugby World Cup, providing a perfect platform to amplify of models that shoppers see online. The tech would allow the
support for the deaf community. Recognizing the opportunity, TBWA\Hunt brand to show its products on a nearly endless range of body
Lascaris teamed up with the St. Vincent School for the Deaf to translate a types, sizes, ethnicities, and ages—something they said would NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

“gwijo” (a song of encouragement that’s deeply imbedded in local culture) be “impossible” to do with human casting alone. But not
into sign language. “We knew it would take all our voices to rally the Boks, everyone was convinced. Even though Levi’s explained that AI BESPOKE LLMS
all 60 million of us,” said Nomsa Chabeli, GM, brand and marketing, MTN SA. models were just one of several efforts being made to improve ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
“But we quickly realized that over 4 million South Africans expressed their representation, people were quick to point out that hiring and UNTETHERED AUDIO
support in another unique and beautiful way, in our country’s newest paying actual models of different races and body types is a MADE MODULAR
official language.” much more equitable way to achieve the same goal. TACTILE HAPTICS
Extreme weather is no longer extreme—it’s our new normal. As
we acclimate to a future of record-breaking temperatures and
frequent natural disasters, the need for protections will reshape
everything from what we wear to how we work. Weather-proof
armor is becoming an essential shield from a world that feels out
of our control.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. INCLEMENT ARMOR 63

COOLING APPAREL AIR-PURIFYING STROLLER

With 2023 going down as the hottest year in human history, fashion is being With alarming rates of air pollution present in urban centers, air-purifying products
reconstructed to keep us cool. Jackets, vests and hats with built-in fans, used for years are becoming a city dweller’s best friend. Answering this growing demand is
by Japanese construction workers, are now being redesigned as casual wear for general Swedish brand Thule, which has unveiled an air purifier canopy that attaches onto
consumers. Researchers in China are also working on clothes that reflect roughly 90% of their Shine stroller. The canopy uses quiet fans and HEPA filters to suck in dirty air
the sun’s rays so it can stay 5C cooler than the midday air. And Renkun Chen, a professor and release a purified breeze around the baby, providing 150 liters of filtered air
of University of California at San Diego, is designing clothes that come with built-in air- every minute. The only downside is the high price tag. The canopy costs EUR
conditioning. “There will come a time when people will need to wear cooling clothing 499.95 (on top of the stroller itself selling for EUR 699.95)—highlighting the need
with sensors just to walk across the street,” predicts James Russell, co-founder of smart for more accessible solutions that protect the most vulnerable groups.
apparel company Techniche. “It’s not tomorrow. It’s not the next day. [But] it’s absolutely
inevitable.”
“Climate change is here, now. It’s not
EARLY WEATHER WARNINGS far away in the Antarctic and it’s not
In the face of climate breakdown all over the world, multi-hazard early warning systems
are becoming more advanced and widespread. Notable updates from last year include
off in the future. It’s these climate-
Hong Kong launching a three-tier warning system to reduce the risk of heatstroke among change-fueled extreme weather
outdoor workers; France sending its first-ever emergency weather alerts during storms events that we are all living through.”
in July; Singapore introducing a heat stress indicator on the myENV app; and Africa
investing in an AI model that will better predict future weather events. Despite the — Michael Mann, climate scientist at
the University of Pennsylvania
positive progress, though, the reality is that less than half of the world’s least-developed
countries have access to these systems, creating a worrisome protection gap that the
UN is determined to close by 2027. NATURAL DISASTER VENDING MACHINE
Japan’s street vending machines are getting a disaster preparedness makeover. In
DROUGHT INSURANCE the western coastal city of Ako—where a powerful “megaquake” is expected to hit
In June 2023, Hillridge and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group (MSIG) Vietnam entered in the next 20 to 40 years—Earth Corp has installed special vending machines that
into a partnership to launch a first-of-its-kind insurance product to protect Vietnamese will automatically unlock in the case of emergency, providing hundreds of food and
farmers against drought. The company recently visited coffee-growing areas across drink items for free. While the machines are the first of their kind in Japan, they
Vietnam's Central Highlands, where farmers shared how increasingly frequent droughts won’t be the last. Earth Corp is planning to install additional units throughout the
have caused their crops to fail—severely impacting their harvest, yields, and livelihoods. country—which not only experiences frequent earthquakes, but has more recently
And with El Niño threatening dry conditions for much of Vietnam, similar products will been hit with powerful typhoons. Earlier this year, a vending machine that
be needed to account for worsening weather volatility. automatically issues emergency broadcasts was also set up in Tokyo.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. INCLEMENT ARMOR 64

COOL-CATIONS WORKER HEAT PROTECTIONS

Rising temperatures are already altering travel habits, Climate change is officially a labor issue. Not only is extreme heat wreaking havoc on the
driving tourists to avoid the hottest summer months economy—with worker productivity losses due to extreme heat costing nations hundreds
or skip once-popular destinations altogether. This is of billions of dollars—but much more alarming is the fact that it’s threatening the lives of
being confirmed by Intrepid Travel, which saw the millions of laborers. And while fans, cooling apparel, and heat stress wearables are all
most bookings in September and October last year. helpful in reducing risk, the reality is that companies will need to be prepared to
Those are traditionally part of the “shoulder seasons,” completely restructure work around extreme weather. In the agriculture industry, for
which may now be turning into peak seasons in their example, more farmers are switching to night harvesting in order to avoid working at the
own right. Beyond offering travel insurance for hottest times of day. Other changes might include mandatory breaks in shaded or air
extreme heat—a solution being explored by US conditioned areas, training people to look out for signs of heat stress in their coworkers,
startup Sensible Weather—companies should use this and most importantly, coming up with a contingency plan for the growing number of days
shift as an opportunity to combat overtourism by when it will simply be too hot to work. → For more, watch Backslash’s episode of Life on
driving people to less-crowded destinations. the Edge: Worker Heat Protections

DESIGNED TO FLOOD
A recently opened athletic facility in New York sits WHAT’S NE T
waterfront, making it highly susceptible to flooding
due to extreme rainfall and storm surges linked to
→ ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM
climate change. But instead of trying to keep water
While smart clothes and warning systems offer an immediate fix, we can’t overlook
out, the building is designed to let it in. In a major
the root cause of extreme weather. Any companies offering band-aid solutions should
flood, a network of vents will open to let water flow
also be prepared to address how they’re tackling climate change for the long term.
into the first floor, from the lobby and locker room to
the tennis courts, and then out of the building when
→ CLOSE THE GAP
the flood is over. When stormwater subsides, the
Protection shouldn’t be a privilege. Prioritize low-cost solutions that can be made
tennis courts can be cleaned off and then
available to the most at-risk groups first.
immediately used again. The design team studied
scenarios for sea-level rise and storms up to the year
2100 to work on the plans, far surpassing current New NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
York City requirements. “Those flood maps are
outdated—they’re looking backward, not looking ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
forward 80 years,” says project manager Tyler Hinkley. CONNECTED OBJECTS
BESPOKE LLMS
AI is getting personal. While we’ve come to accept that AI has the
potential to solve humanity’s biggest challenges, the next step is
normalizing its role as a sidekick in our daily lives. Whether treated
as a companion, teacher, or administrative assistant, new AI tools
will free people from time-intensive tasks and elevate habitual
actions into special moments.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. INTIMATE AI 66

GPT STORE CUSTOMIZABLE AI FRIEND

OpenAI has launched an online store where people can share customized Late last year, news broke that Instagram is reportedly building an “AI friend”
versions of the company’s popular ChatGPT chatbot—meaning an feature. According to screenshots shared by app researcher Alessandro
explosion of highly specialized AI assistants is upon us. So far, people have Paluzzi, users would be able to chat with the AI to “answer questions, talk
made more than 3 million custom chatbots. And if you can dream it, they through any challenges, brainstorm ideas, and much more.” This digital pal
can do it. There are bots that teach math to children, develop colorful would be fully customizable down to gender, age, name, looks, and personality.
cocktail recipes, act as a therapist, recommend hiking trails, design logos, For instance, you could select whether you want it to be reserved, witty,
and much, much more. The product, called the GPT Store, will eventually pragmatic, or empowering, and even assign it different specialities like DIY
allow people to profit from their creations much like they might through projects, nature, career, or music. The news came a month after the release
the app stores of Apple or Google. of Meta’s celebrity AI chatbots, leaving many to question the implications of
a world where its possible to build your own digital companion.
HUMANE’S AI SMART PIN
From Meta’s Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, to Tab, to the Rewind Pendant, an AI CO-PARENTING
emerging category of wearables are giving users always-on access to AI A new class of smart devices is turning AI into a co-parent. Some are designed
companions. The latest device to capture attention is Humane’s AI Smart to boost social and cognitive development, like CATI—a plush toy robot
Pin. The square device magnetically attaches to your clothes, and the idea companion that helps kids sharpen their conversational skills and relays progress
is that you can give it commands by simply talking to it or touching it. reports back to parents. Some are taking the guesswork out of parenting, like
You might ask it to call someone, catch you up on your emails, provide the Q-bear and Capella—both of which are promising to translate baby cries in order
nutritional information of the food you’re looking at, or translate a sign in to determine if they’re hungry, tired, in need a diaper change, or seeking comfort.
front of you. The hands-free, screen-free gadget is pushing us one step And others are providing on-demand advice, like ParentGPT—an AI tool that
further to the vision of personal AI made popular by the movie Her. connects new parents with trusted health specialists for just $5 a month.
With all of these innovations, moms and dads are being given an extra layer of
support that makes it possible to rely less on intuition and more on data.

“Artificial intelligence is WHOOP COACH

extending what we can Hyper-personalized health coaching is becoming more widely available thanks

do with our abilities. In to fitness company WHOOP. Through a partnership with OpenAI, the company
is launching WHOOP Coach—an advanced generative AI feature that will leverage
this way, it’s letting us biometric data to create custom recipes and training plans, as well as answer

become more human.“ questions like “Why am I so tired today?” or “Am I about to get sick?” An annual
membership will cost you $239, making the feature more accessible than paying
— Yann LeCun, Turing Award-winning French for unlimited, on-demand access to a personal trainer and nutritionist.
computer scientist
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. INTIMATE AI 67

Over 4,000 apps added OUTSOURCING EMOTIONAL LABOR

Wedding vows and wedding speeches are meant to
MICROSOFT 365 COPILOT
Personal assistants are no longer just for C-suite executives. With Microsoft 365 Copilot, everyone can have access
“chatbot” to their be among the most personal things you’ll ever write. to their very own helper. The tool is embedded into the most popular work apps—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook,

description in 2023, and But what if they’re written by AI? Does it become Teams, and more—automating mundane tasks and upskilling you along the way. For example, it can clear your inbox in

over 3,500 added “gpt.” meaningless? These questions are being asked more
and more as people begin outsourcing this so-called
minutes by summarizing long email threads and quickly drafting suggested replies; it can summarize notes and next
steps from virtual Teams meetings; and even turn an idea into a working app in minutes. Even more impressive is the
— Data.ai, State of Mobile 2024 “emotional labor” to ChatGPT. For those who don’t Business Chat feature, which responds to natural language prompts by leveraging data across all your apps. So if you
want to go the DIY route, there are now even paid ask it to “Tell me team how we updated the product strategy,” it will generate a status update based on the morning’s
services like ToastWiz that allow you to plug in your meetings, emails, and chat threads. Among developers who use Copilot, 88% say they are more productive and 74%
“stories and feelings” then generate three unique say that they can focus on more satisfying work.
wedding toasts for $30. While some say these tools
are a harmless way to relieve public speaking
anxiety, others fear that they’ll only result in
recycled clichés that lack true humanity. WHAT’S NE T
AI SCHOOL STAFF → GO DEEPER
Cottesmore School, a boarding prep school in West AI will allow brands to extend their role further into the product experience—suggesting different ways to enjoy
Sussex, is going all in on AI. The school recently it, personalize it, and repair it.
appointed two AI chatbots to the school’s executive
staff, including a vice principal named Abigail and a → EXPLORE NEW WAYS TO STAND OUT
Head of AI named Jamie. Abigail will assist the What if your brand's most distinctive asset was its voice and personality?
school’s headmaster in writing school policies,
helping neurodivergent students, and giving advice
→ CONSIDER TAKING AN ANTI-AI STANCE
As AI is integrated into anything and everything, some people will inevitably crave a return to more human, manual,
on how to support fellow staff members, while
and offline experiences. Brands who counter the trend will serve as a refreshing escape from tech overload.
Jamie will teach classes in addition to overseeing all
AI strategies. In addition, students will be given their
own AI robots to help them based on their individual
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
learning styles—a strategy the headmaster says is
meant to teach kids how to make bots their
“benevolent servants.” BESPOKE LLMS AMBIENT INTERFACES ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
The allure of childlike joys is stronger than ever. A
generation of adults under pressure is granting itself
permission to play—turning juvenile hobbies and old-
school comforts into cheerful acts of resistance against
grown-up rules. Nostalgia’s stock is going up in price.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. KINDER CULT 69

PLUSH TOY TARGETS the film “grounded and gritty” with “real characters you can relate to.”
Remember the joy of squeezing a plush toy as a kid? Well, the furry These upcoming films mark a drastic shift away from the dramatic,
hugs don’t have to stop at adulthood. A growing number of kidults darker themes that have long ruled the box office—proving that joyful
are purchasing plush toys as a source of nostalgic comfort, helping entertainment deserves to be taken just as seriously.
the category grow 4% last year while all other toy sales were down
8%. Squishmallows and Jellycat are two fan favorites, driving 6.3B RETRO REVAMP
and 954M views respectively on TikTok. The cuddly toys are Gen Z’s longing for simpler times is translating to rising demand for
especially popular among adults with anxiety or sensory issues. simplified, old-school tech. Apps like NoSpace are aiming to “make
social media fun again” by replicating the Myspace design and
ADULT REVOLT features of the late 2000s. Vinyl albums outsold CDs in 2022 for the
The traditional markers of adulthood (and life success) are first time since 1987, while CDs and cassettes are also seeing a
changing due to a rising cost of living and shifting societal norms. continued resurgence. And ultra-sharp cameras are facing new
Pets are the new kids, having a good work-life balance is now just competition from low-fi cameras on the Nintendo DS. In a time when
as aspirational as owning a home, and romantic partnerships are music is streamed from apps and you can take a perfect photo with
no longer the top priority, as evidenced by Australia’s first home just a tap of the finger, these throwback devices offer a novel escape
guarantee redefining couples to include friends and siblings. As from digital overload. As one 22-year-old CD collector puts it: “I like
diverse family structures are celebrated and milestones are hit out the collectible aspect of CDs and also just like the [feeling] of going
of order, we’ll replace the pressures of adulthood with a more fluid, into a store and buying something rather than going on Spotify and
less judgmental approach. adding it to your playlist.”

ON-SCREEN JOY THE BLUEY WAVE

The Barbie movie was just the beginning of Mattel’s cinematic Bluey, the beloved Australian children’s show, is striking a chord with
universe. Following the success of the hot pink film, Mattel is now adults due to its emotional depth. The show has broached tough but
planning to make 14 more movies centered around its toy relatable topics like infertility, neurodiversity, and mortality, while also
franchises—and they’re being made with adult viewers in mind. providing a much-needed dose of lighthearted joy. Its modern
Barney has been described by execs as a live-action film that’s portrayal of family life is a big plus too. Over 80,000 real-life fathers
“more adult with adult themes – a little bit off-kilter.” Polly Pocket have joined a Facebook group for fans of Bluey’s beloved dad, Bandit,
is being written and directed by Lena Dunham, who hinted that who always shows up but is wonderfully imperfect. Though Bluey
she’s aiming for a “smart playful” film that speaks to young women may have started out as a cartoon “for kids,” the show is
“without condescension.” And Hot Wheels producers are calling demonstrating the power of universal storytelling.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. KINDER CULT 70

BIG KID WATER BLASTERS “In most developed countries, the birth
With so many adults buying toys meant for kids, it was only
rate is dropping—which risks a
a matter of time before companies started making toys
specifically for adults. Two companies catching on are German
reduction in the overall toy market size.
startup Spyra and Chinese tech titan Xiaomi—both of which But the great savior, potentially, are toys
are making electric water guns with grown-up features like
LCD screens, LEDs, USB connectivity, and even gaming modes.
developed with mostly adults in mind.”
These big kid water blasters may have a sleek, futuristic look, — Steve Reece, author of the Toy Industry Journal
but they’re designed for good old-fashioned backyard fun.

BARBIECORE
WHAT’S NE T
Ahead of the release of Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated
→ DISRUPT BORING
Barbie movie, a wave of brand collaborations transported fans
Experiment with ways to make your brand touch points more playful and
straight into Barbie Land. Airbnb gave enthusiasts the chance
imaginative. Unexpected moments of joy can be found in anything from a store
to stay at Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse. Fashion giants like
layout to an in-app experience.
Aldo, Gap, Cotton On, and Crocs launched special Barbie-
inspired collections. And food retailers like Malaysia’s Inside → NICHE NOSTALGIA
Scoop ice cream shop and Hong Kong’s Flash Coffee went all Nostalgia doesn’t just look to the previous decade anymore. Go beyond the clichés NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
in on pink stores and pink flavors. The success of these and use it as a mechanism to transport people to an ultra-specific time and place.
activations, along with the fact that adults were dressing up THIRD PLACE GAMING
to see the film and even redecorating their homes, goes to → MAKE IT PARTICIPATORY WORLDBUILDING
show just how eager people were to tap into their inner child. Use the power of free-flowing creative play to your advantage. LO-FI DESIGN
Food, gems, textiles: the future is being grown in a lab. While
“all-natural” has long been positioned as the superior choice, our
current environmental reality calls for a different approach. One
that starts with science. As resources run out and supply chains
fall under scrutiny, “lab-made” will go from sterile and apologetic
to responsible and aspirational.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. LAB-MADE WORLD 72

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT ARTIFICIAL BREAST MILK GENE-EDITED GREENS

Despite all the chatter about how the shift to lab-made will impact food The parenting world is fraught with guilt and pressure around the Between lettuce, trees, and houseplants, greenery is getting a genetically modified
cultures around the world, we’re still a long way away from a global consensus. best way to feed your baby. But with breastfeeding—the gold makeover. In the kitchen, Pairwise is rolling out a new type of mustard greens
Just two countries, Singapore and the US, have so far approved the sale of lab- standard for infant nutrition—not always an option, families are engineered to be less bitter than the original plant—marking the first Crispr-edited
grown meat. And China included cultivated meat in its five-year agricultural hungry for a promising alternative. Enter: US startup Biomilq. food to hit the US market. In the forest, biotech company Living Carbon is planting
plan that was announced in 2022, meaning it could very well be the next Inspired by their own struggles with breastfeeding, Biomilq trees that have been genetically engineered to grow wood at turbocharged rates
country to give the green light. But there’s one clear outlier. Last year, Italy founders Leila Stickland and Michelle Egger are creating a lab- while removing carbon dioxide from the air. And in the home, Parisian startup
made the controversial move to ban lab-made foods, citing the need to made breast milk replica that better matches the nutritional Neoplants is pushing genetically modified houseplants that could help combat indoor
protect the country’s prized culinary heritage. While agricultural groups profile of breast milk than formula, with more similar proportions air pollution. As gene-enhanced greenery moves out of the lab and into our everyday
applauded the ban, animal welfare organizations now face a major setback of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. One limit of lab-grown milk, environments, we could see the start of a competitive new product category.
as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rallies support for "natural food versus though, is that it cannot replicate the antibodies or the beneficial
synthetic food.” → For more, watch Backslash’s episode of gut bacteria found in a mother’s breast milk. LAB-GROWN TEXTILES
Life on the Edge: Cultivating Food’s Future Many of the materials we’ve come to know and love are taking a serious toll on the
planet. Popular fabrics like cotton typically require huge amounts of water to grow,
and the environmental impact of materials such as wool and leather has come under
criticism for taking up land and producing methane. A growing number of startups

“Our preference for naturalness is already holding us back from a range are aiming to solve the problem by recreating textiles in a lab. Singapore’s ProjectEx

of other behaviors with population-level benefits. One of these is the

is working on the world’s first cultivated exotic leather; Boston startup Galy is making
cotton grown from cells instead of plants; and a company called Modern Synthesis is
adoption of lab-grown meat.” growing biotextiles from microbes. As investments pour in, lab-made textiles could
redefine conscious luxury for fashion, furniture, and more.
— Behavioral Scientist
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. LAB-MADE WORLD 73

MAMMOTH MEATBALL THE YEAR OF THE LAB-GROWN DIAMOND

Would you eat a meatball made from a woolly mammoth? While not new, lab-made diamonds are shaking up the industry like never
Vow Food doesn’t care if the answer if yes or no, they just before. So much so, that Business of Fashion declared 2023 “The Year of the
want to get your attention. The Aussie lab-made meat Lab-Grown Diamond.” Sales of man-made stones have increased from under
company created the Mammoth Meatball as a stunt in $1 billion in 2016 to just under $12 billion in 2022—motivating DTC players like
order to highlight the link between large-scale livestock Mejuri to launch lab-made diamonds for the first time and forcing other
production and the destruction of our planet. “We chose the established giants, like DeBeers, to cut prices of traditional mined stones by
woolly mammoth because it’s a symbol of diversity loss and as much as 40%. But beyond the numbers, the most notable shift has to do
a symbol of climate change,” explains Vow co-founder Tim with perception. While people were once ashamed to admit their bling was
Noakesmith. The company’s greater mission is to convert made in a lab, they’re now proudly promoting their more ethical choice.
meat eaters into lab-made meat eaters. And they’re taking
a unique approach. Rather than replicating conventional ANIMAL-FREE DAIRY
proteins like chicken or steak, Vow is experimenting with Alternative meats may be getting the most attention, but the culinary
more exotic animals. The company has already investigated world’s shift to lab-grown doesn’t stop there. The dairy industry is ripe for
the potential of more than 50 species, including alpaca, disruption, too, with milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and even eggs now
buffalo, crocodile, kangaroo, peacocks and different types being made through precision fermentation—a process whereby sustainable
of fish. The first cultivated meat to be sold to diners will be protein ingredients are produced from microbes rather than traditional
Japanese quail, which the company expects to be available farms. And with big names like Nestlé investing in this new technology, we
in restaurants in Singapore soon. could very well see cultivated dairy products give plant-based alternatives a
run for their money.
FUTURE FERTILITY
Biotech startup Conception Bioessences is working toward
a fertility option that could enable lab-grown human eggs to
be nurtured—potentially revolutionizing human reproduction
as we know it. The company’s goal is to accelerate and
WHAT’S NE T
commercialize a process called in vitro gametogenesis (IVG),
→ AUDIT YOUR MANUFACTURING PROCESS
whereby an induced pluripotent stem cell is turned into a
Is the creation of your product contributing to resource depletion?
human egg. This would open the door for people who
How might you reduce your impact with lab-made materials?
currently don’t have other fertility options, such as women
who have lost their eggs due to cancer treatment or whose → FIGHT SKEPTICISM WITH EDUCATION
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
eggs are no longer viable due to their age. It would also To scale up demand for lab-made alternatives, businesses will need to
allow same-sex couples to have biological children together address any misconceptions head-on. Think public lab tours, full
BIO-MATERIALS
for the first time ever. With several other labs racing toward transparency into the production process, and endorsements from
ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
the same goal, the future of fertility looks promising. trusted third parties
It’s the end of reality as we know it. From synthetic media to the rise of
virtual everything, immersive technologies are ushering in a heightened
era of on/off-line blur. As the limits of our physical world are shattered,
new possibilities for self-expression and deeper engagement abound.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. LIQUID REALITY 75

40% of Gen Z Roblox users say they find it easier to present their
authentic selves in the metaverse than in the physical world.
— Roblox 2023 Digital Expression,
Fashion & Beauty Trends

LEWDTUBERS CONTENT CLONES

Virtual cam girls, better known as LewdTubers, are pushing the Chinese influencers, particularly those in the e-commerce space,
boundaries of online sex work. These streamers are real people, but they are increasingly using digital clones of themselves to pump out
remain fully anonymous via anime-style avatars that mirror their actual content 24/7. This near-constant livestreaming allows them to
movements and facial expressions through webcam-tracking software. maximize their earnings, but also comes at the cost of authenticity.
They’ve become so popular in recent years that there’s even a directory And there’s a lot of gray area. In October 2023, the Chinese
to help fans navigate them all. In a world where sex work still carries government published draft guidelines saying that individuals
a stigma, LewdTubers say the anonymity helps them live a normal life to be cloned using AI should provide written consent for their
without facing discrimination from family members or potential biometric data to be used in that way, but did not elaborate on
employers. But more than that, appearing as an avatar means there are how such content should be labeled to the public. In other words,
limitless ways to express yourself. “This allows more niche or ‘physically it’s going to become increasingly difficult to tell if you’re watching
impossible’ fetishes to be feasible, like, you can literally be a giantess or a real person in real time, or if you’re watching their AI twin.
a monster girl,” explains LewdNeko.
AR STEM LESSONS
APPLE VISION PRO Snapchat is teaming up with virtual learning platform Inspirit to
Apple’s highly anticipated mixed reality headset is marking a new era of bring AR technology to at least 50 K-12 schools across the US.
integration between the real world and the digital one. “It’s the first Apple The technology will primarily be used to teach STEM subjects,
product you look through, and not at,” said CEO Tim Cook. The Vision Pro allowing students to interact with real-world visualizations that
will overlay digital elements over your physical environment, which users literally bring abstract concepts to life. A post-test survey found
can control with their eyes, voice and hands. In other words, no controller that 92% of students found the content easy to understand when
is required. Users can also “relive” past memories with 180-degree video— using AR, and 85% expressed renewed interest in STEM topics.
a feature some have described as an emotional experience. Static textbooks are slowly but surely becoming old school.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. LIQUID REALITY 76

PASSIVE DATING AI BROADCASTERS

Stop swiping—AI is here to find your match. Gen Z GMA Network, a leading broadcast company in the Philippines, recently took
dating app Snack has introduced a new feature where a bold step by introducing the country’s first AI-generated sportscasters.
you can create and train an AI avatar by answering But despite the network assuring viewers that their human broadcasters are
questions about yourself. These avatars then go out “irreplaceable,” the public had mixed reactions. Many expressed concerns about
into Snack’s virtual dating world to chat with other displacing workers, while others noted that AI would never be able to replicate
users—tackling the small talk on your behalf. If the the genuine passion and excitement from broadcasters that makes sports fun to
avatar version of you thinks they’ve met a match, the watch. Similar fears are also surfacing in Malaysia, where an AI-generated radio
app will notify you so that you can decide if you want DJ named Aina Sabrina recently hit the airwaves.
to start a real human-to-human conversation. But
Snack isn’t stopping there. The app’s ultimate goal is
to have all first dates start in the metaverse before
people meet in IRL.
WHAT’S NE T
HOLOGRAM ZOO → EMBRACE UNREALITY
Axiom Holographics has opened the world’s first Don’t just replicate our physical reality—create worlds, characters, and
“Hologram Zoo” in Brisbane, Australia. Visitors are narratives that push beyond the bounds of what we can experience IRL.
given a special pair of glasses and invited to roam
through various holographic 3D tunnels—transporting → GIVE PEOPLE A REALITY CHECK
them to African safaris, underwater adventures, and It’s easy to get carried away when you’re immersed in a virtual world. But
Arctic explorations. Besides being a more ethical online actions (such as spending money in a video game or engaging in
alternative to traditional zoos, the Hologram Zoo is toxic behavior) can have very real consequences. Brands can keep people
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
also allowing people to see things that would not be in check with real-time nudges and intentional points of friction.
possible through a purely physical experience. For
instance, they can be teleported to prehistoric times
→ CONNECT IRL TO URL THIRD PLACE GAMING AVATAR IDENTITIES
As our online and offline lives blur, people will look for tangible EXTENDED REALITY TACTILE HAPTICS
and hang out with dinosaurs, or come face-to-face
connections between the two worlds. UNTETHERED AUDIO
with a life-sized whale.
Once-invisible mental health struggles are moving center
stage. As the taboo is broken, mental healthcare will go from
reactive to proactive, from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have.
Mind maintenance is our new common priority, and we’re
practicing it daily.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. MIND MAINTENANCE 78

SPIRITUAL ESCAPES WORKPLACE THERAPY

China’s young people are flocking to temples as an affordable way to Instead of sneaking off to a bathroom stall to cry at work, you
escape their stress. Visits to temples surged 310% in the beginning of 2023 can now pop into a meeting with an on-site therapist. Delta
compared to the same period in 2022, with about half of temple visitors Air Lines, Google, Droga5 and AT&T are among the growing
being either millennials or Gen Zers. This is in sharp contrast to just a few number of companies bringing mental health counseling into
years ago, when temples like Yonghe Palace were left mostly empty the workplace—with many others revealing plans to do so in
outside of major holidays. Aside from burning incense and praying, young the coming year. The free offering is being introduced in
visitors have been congregating at shops within the temples that sell response to employees saying that they want mental-health
blessed objects. The most popular items seem to be bead bracelets, which care, but have a hard time fitting it into their schedule or
come in different designs that signify good fortune in different areas of life. finding services that are covered by insurance. And while
there are some tensions—like privacy concerns or the fact
MILITARY MUSHROOMS that you may end up having the same therapist as your boss
A first-ever provision included in this year’s US defense policy bill enables —the employee response has been largely positive.
studies to analyze the effects of psychedelics on military troops suffering
from either post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury. FAITH-BASED SUPPORT
The support of psychedelic mental health therapy is being hailed as a While there’s no shortage of mental health apps out there,
historic moment for military community, with nearly 30% of veterans most are generally oriented toward Western psychology—
reporting PTSD symptoms at some point in their lives. leaving the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims without a faith-oriented
solution. One app aiming to fill the gap is Indonesia-based
“DUELOS” Qalboo. The app fuses modern clinical methodologies with
Imagine a reality show where the person with the most severe trauma wins Islamic values based on the Koran and Sunnah, and connects
one hundred thousand euros. Such a show did in fact air in Spain, but it users with professional counselors as well as with each other.
thankfully wasn’t real. Rather, the purpose of the fictional “Duelos” show Qalboo’s CEO and co-founder, Windy Dhaliana, says that
was to raise awareness about mental health and push people to consider many Muslims find a sense of calm through their religion,
what someone is going through before they judge them. It was created by which is not taken into account by mainstream mental health
Somos Estupendas, a popular Barcelona-based mental health platform that apps. Other players to watch include Ruh, Saba, SAKEENAH,
offers workshops, online and in-person therapy, a podcast, and more. and Mindful Muslim.
 MIND MAINTENANCE 79

MENTAL HEALTH MERCH

People aren’t just talking about their mental health struggles—they’re proudly displaying
them on their T-shirt for the world to see. The trend first blew up in 2022, when influencer/
sex blogger Eileen Kelly launched a line of mental-health-themed merchandise that
included a “Depressed but Make It Hot” shirt and various antidepressant-themed
sweatshirts reading “Lexapro,” “Prozac” and “Zoloft.” The items sold out quickly. Since then,
countless similar items have been sold by Etsy creators and mainstream retailers alike.
While some have criticized the items as being insensitive or exploitative, the makers behind
the merch say it’s an important step toward destigmatizing mental health treatment and
inviting a more open conversation.

MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-UPS

South Korea has recorded the highest suicide rate among OECD nations for almost 20
years, with 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022. In response, the country will begin
offering mental health check-ups every two years, starting with those ages 20 to 34 and
WHAT’S NE T
later expanding to all age groups. In addition, a new presidential committee will be formed
→ START EARLY
to map out further mental health policies and build up investments and infrastructure for
Give kids the tools to articulate and manage their
mental health care. This is a significant step up from the country’s current policy, which
emotions—ensuring that open discussion is normalized
offers mental health exams once every 10 years.
from a young age.

OWN THE FEELS → CHECK IN

Breakups sucks. To help teens navigate the pain, the New Zealand government launched a How can your brand not only break down barriers to mental
“Love Better” video campaign that encourages the brokenhearted to “own the feels” and healthcare, but actively check on people who are typically NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

suggests healthy ways to process their feelings. One of the biggest suggestions? Unfollow alienated from the conversation?
your ex on social media. The three-year, NZ$6.4M campaign aims to address the country’s THIRD PLACE GAMING
high rates of family and sexual violence, and was inspired by findings that 87% of the → MINDFUL DESIGN EMOTION AI
country’s 16- to 24-year-olds have experienced physical or emotional harm that went From UX design to office design, online and offline NEURAL CONTROL
beyond the normal pain of breaking up. experiences will be built with mental health in mind. UNTETHERED AUDIO
Money is being taken off the do-not-discuss list. From salary transparency
to financial therapy, culture is getting candid about the role money plays
in our lives. The end of secrecy will mark the start of a more honest, equal,
and human approach to all things finance.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. MONEY OUT LOUD 81

BEGGAR CHATROOMS EXPOSING CORRUPT SPENDING LOUD BUDGETING

Desperate to develop better money habits, Gen Zers in Every year Brazil loses about $40bn to corrupt politician “No transport, no clothing or beauty, no going
Korea are baring it all in anonymous chat rooms on the spending. Independent news site Congresso em Foco is out, no alcohol, no booking trips, no takeaway
popular messaging app KakaoTalk. Members of these exposing these unethical expenditures with the food.” Those are the rules of the ‘no spend
"beggar chat rooms" share their account balances, regular Transparency Card, a tool that aggregates real-time data month’ challenge that’s blowing up on TikTok.
expenses, and more—then invite other group members to around politicians’ spending habits. Users are notified as The trend, which discourages people from
ridicule their spending and suggest ways to save. The soon as politicians spend taxpayers’ money, like if they buying non-essentials, is part of a much larger
advice ranges from practical (like drinking free coffee at spend $23,000 on a private jet or $200 on an extravagant Gen Z-driven push to celebrate frugality amid
work rather than buying it), to totally ridiculous (like dinner. According to the OECD, only 36% of Brazilians an ongoing cost of living crisis. Other creators
smoking used cigarette butts if you can’t afford a new trusted the government in 2020. Giving voters are declaring that quiet luxury is out and ‘loud
pack). Full of shameless transparency and self- transparency into public spending not only helps build budgeting’ is in for 2024. The key message?
deprecating humor, the chat room serves a dual purpose trust, it incentivizes politicians to spend more responsibly. Being cash-conscious is officially cool.
of helping people cope with their financial woes while
also motivating them to be smarter with their money. KID-FRIENDLY FINANCE
Gen Alphas might not be bringing in the big bucks yet, but
MONEY FEELS financial literacy is still a top priority for them (and their
Despite being 10+ years old, financial therapy has Millennial parents). And banks and startups are already
remained relatively niche. One new app trying to make it jumping in to help them get started—often as young as
mainstream is Stackin, a different kind of personal finance seven years old. One example comes from Berlin-based
app that relies more on research from cognitive Bling, which offers a parent-controlled “pocket money
behavioral therapists and less on spreadsheets. It asks card” for kids. The card is essentially replacing the physical
you about your financial intentions, has you rate your piggy bank with a solution that’s more in line with our
spending habits based on how you feel, and conducts current era of online shopping—teaching youngsters how
daily check-ins so you can reflect on your relationship to manage digital money responsibly. Other kid-friendly
with money. It’s important to note that the app is finance offerings include GoHenry, a UK-based banking app
powered by real human coaches—not some sort of AI for children; Capital One’s teen checking account, MONEY;
chatbot—who help you navigate the different emotions and child debit cards from fintech unicorn Greenlight,
that come with spending, such as guilt, joy, or anxiety. which also offers fun educational challenges.

One-third of adults globally would spend more or switch companies for

financial services that help them “reevaluate their relationship with money
and talk about it openly.”
— TBWA Proprietary Research, Q1 2024
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. MONEY OUT LOUD 82

GIRL MATH GAMIFIED SAVINGS

Anything you pay for in cash is free. If Sephora has a 20% Bank holding company Truist is out to prove that finance and fun actually do belong
off sale, you’re losing money if you don’t buy something. in the same sentence. Through a newly updated “Long Game” app, users can earn
Returning clothes means you’re making a profit. All of money and rewards for playing Candy Crush-like games, taking short quizzes on
these are examples of girl math—”a lifestyle and a financial basics, and boosting their savings. The app is primarily intended to
delusion” that women are using to justify their promote financial education, but in the future Truist plans to integrate financial
unnecessary or indulgent purchases online. And if it wellness features for a more holistic approach.
seems ridiculous, that’s the point. The trend, which has
accumulated over 2.5B views on TikTok, is intentionally
playing into the patriarchal stereotype that women are
bad with money. For women, it’s a lighthearted way to
bond over the obvious lies we tell ourselves when we
WHAT’S NE T
spend money irresponsibly. Leave the guilt out of it and
→ LEAD THE MOVEMENT
let the girls be girls.
Practice salary transparency in your own organization first.

PAY TRANSPARENCY PROGRESS → DROP THE JARGON

Pay transparency is sweeping across the US. More than Take the intimidation out of finance by using clear language that everyone
a quarter of US workers are now covered by some form can understand, or try explaining complex concepts through the lens of
of salary disclosure law, with California, Washington and pop culture.
New York all joining the movement last year. These laws
are slowly but surely making transparency the norm. → TAP INTO PSYCHOLOGY
New data from Indeed shows that more than half of Unpacking the emotional drivers behind how and why we spend can help
US job postings on the site included a salary range, and people build a healthier relationship with money for the long haul.
a separate US survey from April found that 80% of
respondents wouldn’t apply for a job that didn’t include
salary information in the listing. In addition to attracting
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
more applicants, research shows that salary disclosure
improves candidate quality, boosts retention, and can
THIRD PLACE GAMING NON-FUNGIBLE EVERYTHING
help narrow the gender and racial wage gaps. Expect
COMMUNITY COMMERCE
more employers to follow suit in 2024.
Human emotions are being analyzed and enhanced in
entirely new ways. A modern wave of mood-boosting
products are promising to make us calmer, happier, or even
euphoric. And the emerging field of emotion AI is giving us—
and the brands we buy from—advanced insight into how we
feel. The market for mood modulation is booming.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. MOOD GEISTING 84

The global emotion detection and recognition market is projected

to grow from USD 26.26 billion in 2022 to USD 74.80 billion by 2029,
exhibiting a CAGR of 16.1%
— Fortune Business Insights, 2023

MAINSTREAM MOOD TRACKING PRECISION JOY

Mood-tracking apps and wearables are being catapulted into For the most part, the medical field has focused on measurements
the mainstream courtesy of Apple and Google. With the iOS 17 of things like pain, anxiety, and depression. Now, thanks to the
Health app, Apple users can now log how they feel each day— convergence of psychology and personalized medicine, experts are
ranging from Very Unpleasant to Very Pleasant—and then select also looking to measure happiness, satisfaction, and joy. It might sound
potential contributing factors like money, family, and more. somewhat woo-woo, but it has a very practical end goal: to come
A more advanced version comes from Google’s new Pixel Watch up with better treatments. At Johns Hopkins University, for example,
2. The watch detects stress levels by measuring changes in heart researchers have started using a Mystical Experience Questionnaire
rate and body temperature, and will even prompt you to take to measure how psychedelic treatments impact mental health.
stock of your mood and recommend specific activities to Some examples of the results being tracked include a sense of
reduce stress. sacredness, a deeply positive mood, and profound unity with all that
exists. As medical care begins catering to the mind, body, and soul,
NEUROCOSMETICS treatment options will begin to reflect the complete human experience.
Neurocosmetics are giving “look good, feel good” a whole
new meaning. The trend, as reported by Mintel’s beauty analyst EMOTIONALLY RESPONSIVE GAMING
Clare Hennigan, covers growing interest in beauty products that Swiss startup Ovomind is adding a new dimension to gaming:
contain adaptogenic ingredients. This includes products like emotions. The company’s smart bracelet monitors the player’s emotions
Peace & Pure’s Timeless Elixir Facial Serum, which claims to block by tracking skin temperature, body movements, heart rate, and sweat
the production of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress) gland activity, then adjusts the game based on their real-time
to support mental relaxation, as well as the growing number of biometrics. For instance, they might make the game more challenging
brands turning their attention to the mind-skin connection (AKA if someone seems bored, or dial things back if they’re overwhelmed.
psychodermatology). Two players to watch in this space are This added layer could mark the start of more dynamic, emotionally
skincare brand Sereko and haircare brand Just Human. responsive entertainment.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. MOOD GEISTING 85

FURRY FEELINGS FEEL-GOOD REFRESHMENTS

It’s not just human emotions that are being analyzed. Alcohol-avoidant Gen Z is increasingly opting for functional, mood-enhancing beverages—
Advancements in AI are now making it possible to detect giving the category a serious boost. The ingredients and promises of these refreshments
the emotions of animals—breaking a long-standing vary widely. Some brands, like startup Heywell, are zeroing in on stress and cognitive
communication barrier between humans and their furry health. Elsewhere, UK-based Peak makes a “Mood Drink” designed to enhance feelings of
four-legged companions. Researchers at the Tech4Animals inspiration, focus and motivation by stimulating dopamine production. And for those living
lab in northern Israel, for example, are training a facial in places where cannabis is legal, there are more mellow THC-infused drinks like Five Sipz
recognition algorithm to better understand animals, such THC Seltzer. “People want to feel like they could consume something in a social setting, at
as using machines to help vets better determine when a a bar, at a restaurant or at a family occasion that isn’t just a sweet beverage and also gives
dog or cat is in pain. Going a step further, their ultimate them an elevated feeling,” explains Vikrant Lal, director of technical business development
goal is to make a “digital Dr. Dolittle that understands what at BevSource. With the global cannabis beverages market on track to hit $3.9B by 2030, we
the animals are thinking and feeling.” can expect the feel-good drinks to keep flowing.

MOOD MUSIC
Do you like to start your day with some slow jams? Or wake
up faster with upbeat bangers? Whatever your preference,
WHAT’S NE T
Spotify knows. And the platform’s latest offering
→ ALLOW FOR SENSORY SHIFTS
harnesses that data in order to suggest the right kind of
Give users the ability to tap into different moods and modes—from totally zen to
music at the right time. The feature is called Daylist, and it
totally hyped.
curates different mood-based playlists that adjust
throughout the day in order to “ebb and flow with your → MAKE IT PERSONAL, NOT PROMOTIONAL
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
unique vibes.” An even more futuristic example comes from While emotion recognition tech can unlock a new level of personalization, it can also
Niura’s EEG-implemented earbuds, which scan your brain easily lead to foul play. Brands that use mood data to manipulate or emotionally profile
EMOTION AI
health and recommend music based on your real-time people will quickly lose trust.
TACTILE HAPTICS
emotions. With these emotionally intelligent technologies,
the days of manually matching music to your vibe could be → GET GRANULAR NEURAL CONTROL

coming to a close. Review every brand touch point through a new lens. Does this action spark the UNTETHERED AUDIO
desired vibe?
A renewed emphasis on collectivism is
redistributing power at scale. Realizing that
individualism can only get us so far, brands
and organizations are relinquishing control
and inviting participation in the form of
decentralization, crowdsourcing, and co-
creation. The future belongs to all of us.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. NEO-COLLECTIVISM 87

PRODUCT CO-CREATION OPENDESK

For the most part, anyone wanting to be heard by their favorite Opendesk is an open-source online furniture platform connecting customers,
brand is limited to either leaving an online review, emailing customer makers, and designers. Or, as they describe it, “a global platform for local making.”
service, or commenting on social media posts—all of which can feel The platform allows people to download digital fabrication files to DIY, or connects
like speaking into the void. Thankfully, that’s starting to change as buyers with designers and local manufacturers who will custom build the furniture
more brands begin opening up a direct feedback loop. Two players without the environmental footprint of overseas manufacturing and shipping.
leading the way in the beauty industry are KIKI World and Grupo Unlike the traditional industry, which squeezes the designers and makers,
Boticário. KIKI World invites its members to vote for and co-own Opendesk is giving everyone along the supply chain their fair share of the profits.
products—allowing them to choose everything from shades to
fragrances. For its most recent release of a peel-off nail polish pen, UGC GAMING
KIKI World crowdsourced ideas from its community, giving out digital Gen Z is trading traditional games for ones that embrace user-generated content
tokens to participants and producing the product via AI. Similarly, (UGC). Tapping into this shift, games like Roblox, Minecraft, and most recently,
Brazilian cosmetics company Grupo Boticário recently brought in Fortnite, are embracing the creator economy. In October, Fortnite announced an
representatives from minority groups to help create more inclusive updated engagement payout model that allows creators to earn money when
products, packaging, and ad campaigns. players make in-game purchases. The game also updated its UI to push creator-
made games to the forefront—proving its commitment to empowering
WELCOME TO THE FEDIVERSE outside creators.
Imagine posting a thought or piece of content on one platform, and
having followers from a totally different platform like and comment CITIZEN-DEVELOPED PRICE HACKS
on that post. That future is now a reality, thanks to the fediverse, a In May of last year, Austria’s labor minister announced that the government would
system of decentralized social networking services that lets users be building a new database to help people find the cheapest supermarket products
of independent social hubs see and interact with each other’s amid soaring food prices. The only problem was that this system was going to take
content, all without creating separate accounts for each platform. So months to build and would cover only a handful of food types. Mario Zechner, an
far, Twitter-like Mastodon, video platform PeerTube, image sharing independent software developer, decided that wasn’t good enough. In just a few
platform Pixelfed, and Reddit-esque Lemmy all have a presence in hours, Zechner had built the first prototype of a comparable system, pulling the cost
the fediverse. And the list is growing. Meta announced plans to of 22,000 items from the websites of Austria’s biggest two supermarket chains. He
launch Threads in the fediverse back in July 2023 (though it’s unclear then open-sourced the project on GitHub, where it quickly exploded. Thanks to data
if and when that will actually happen), while social reading app provided by several anonymous contributors, the tool (called Heisse Preise, or
Flipboard just recently joined the fediverse in December. Ultimately, “Hot Prices”) now includes prices for more than 177,000 supermarket items from 10
Flipboard CEO Mike McCue predicts that walled-off social networks Austrian supermarket chains, plus four in neighboring Germany and Slovenia.
will have no choice but to integrate into the fediverse in order to stay Zechner’s tool is demonstrating the power of citizen development and showing
relevant, likening the shift to the early days of the web. “It’s going to what can be achieved when data is made available to everyone.
be like 1994 all over again,” he says.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. NEO-COLLECTIVISM 88

NFT LOYALTY PROGRAM MAYAWORLD

Throw out those paper punch cards. A new, more Own our attention, own the internet. That’s the premise behind MAYAworld, an
personalized kind of restaurant loyalty program is open-source, not-for-profit, community-owned platform that’s aiming to restore
coming. Through an NFT program called Blackbird, Ben power to the collective. So, what actually is it? In practice, MAYAworld will act as a
Leventhal—co-founder of Resy and Eater—is aiming to social media site where people can co-create mood boards—also called “delusion
“create meaningful connectivity between restaurants boards”—to dream up alternative realities. As the brand book puts it, “think
and their customers.” “By connectivity,” he continues, Myspace x Tumblr with a sprinkle of eBay thrown in.” The only rule
“we mean direct connectivity, where guests know that is that you can’t delete other people’s ideas. Driven by the philosophy that we
the more they show up, the better their experience is should control what we consume, MAYAworld is taking us back to the early days of
going to be.” Here’s how it works: diners can “check in” the internet when platforms weren’t owned by multinational conglomerates; our
at a restaurant by tapping their phone against an NFC information wasn’t bought and sold; and people were brought together rather than
chip at the entrance, then unlock unique rewards like a torn apart.
free dessert or a personalized coffee mug through
$FLY tokens each time they visit. But the benefits are
far bigger than freebies. The program will also provide WHAT’S NE T
restaurants with valuable customer data, allow them to
crowdsource ideas and money from their biggest fans, → BUILD COMMUNITY

and more. A new era of blockchain-based community Give people a reason to connect and work toward a common goal.

building is upon us.

→ BE OPEN
Open source your ideas and invite fans to access the exclusive parts of your
RADAR
RADAR is taking a “multiplayer” approach to trend
brand—empowering others to solve problems on your behalf
“I’m most interested in this idea of
spotting. Rather than a small group of people reporting
on worldwide, far-reaching cultural trends and societal
→ BE EGALITARIAN ownership where brands and fans can
shifts, RADAR acts as a decentralized foresight
Align on shared community values and allow for autonomous decision-making.
work together to build something they
community where 300+ researchers, strategists, really care about and each have
something to show for it.”
makers, and early adopters all work together to build NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

better futures. In addition to publishing reports, RADAR

funds cutting-edge innovation projects and hosts ever- COMMUNITY COMMERCE
— Ty Haney, founder of blockchain-based
evolving boards that anyone can edit and add their DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL community management platform Try Your Best
ideas to. It’s the future of the futures industry. NON-FUNGIBLE EVERYTHING
Self-sufficiency is modern-day survival. As the fragility of our planet and
the economy becomes impossible to ignore, we're accepting that the
systems we've come to depend on are highly vulnerable. With nature as
our teacher and ancient practices as our inspiration, we're ditching our
destructive ways and placing new value on forgotten skills.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. NEXT-GEN NATURALISTS 90

BACK TO BARTERING for drinking, household use and landscaping, and it’s catching on everywhere
If you thought bartering was dead, think again. On the Italian island from the US state of Arizona to the Indian city of Chennai. Advocates say that
of Ischia, locals are reviving the ancient practice through a growing in even the driest towns and cities, rain farming has the potential to erase
Facebook group called La Borsa Verde 3.0. Beyond trading goods projected water deficits in the decades to come. That is, once restrictions are
and services, the group’s 4,000+ members organize public fully lifted.
workshops that teach everything from basket weaving to
permaculture. La Borsa Verde has also played a key role in CANNING’S COMEBACK
preserving the island’s agricultural traditions by inspiring people to Canning—once relegated to doomsday peppers and history books—has made
clean up and cultivate abandoned lands, which has led to a much- its way into the zeitgeist with over 975 million views on TikTok. Covid kicked off
needed resurgence in agricultural entrepreneurship. With similar the return of canning when it disrupted the global food supply back in 2020.
bartering groups now popping up in Rome and Playa del Carmen, Since then, continued challenges like inflation, climate change, and the Russia-
Mexico, it’s clear that our consumerist impulses are continuously Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars have put our food system under even more
being questioned. stress. With supermarket shelves becoming less predictable, a growing number
of people are turning to canning as a more reliable food source. The ancient
DIRTY HOBBIES practice isn’t just a way to save money and stock up on food—it’s also a
Driven by rising fears of food insecurity, people around the world welcome source of comfort. “The resurgence in canning is, like everything in the
are rewinding the clocks and relearning how to plant fruits and post-2020 landscape, a little bit inflected with fear of the end times: of the next
vegetables at home. This is especially prevalent in the UK, where pandemic, the next superstorm, whatever disaster will lead to the breakdown
produce shortages led to double-digit increases in sales of of society as we know it,” notes Vox.
vegetable seeds and propagators in the beginning months of 2023.
Meanwhile, over in China, growing produce is as much a necessity DESERT ISLAND TOURISM
as it is a relaxing hobby. A rising number of Shanghai and Beijing Itching to live out your Man vs. Wild dreams? Desert island tourism could be for
residents are renting out small plots of land on the outskirts of the you. A leader in the space is Docastaway, a travel company that brings people
city, where they can take pride in the entire process—from sowing to remote, uninhabited islands so they can “feel like a castaway.” Clients can
vegetable seeds, to watering them, to eventually harvesting the choose between Survival Mode, where they get dropped off on the island with
fruits of their labor. For many of these amateur farmers, it’s a barely anything (in some cases, just a machete or spear gun) and have to figure
rewarding way to get back to nature and break free from their out the rest on their own, or Comfort Mode, where they have a crew on standby
urban routines. with food, water, shelter, and other necessities. Though not new (the company
was founded in 2010), Docastaway says that Survival Mode has become an
RAIN CATCHING REVIVAL increasingly popular option as people look to put their self-reliance to the test.
With millions of people around the world still lacking access to UK-based competitor Desert Island Survival—which offers five days of hands-on
running water, more cities are returning to the ancient practice of survival training before leaving clients to fend for themselves for three days—
rain catching. It involves capturing, filtering, and rerouting rainwater has also seen a recent uptick in interest.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. NEXT-GEN NATURALISTS 91

WOODLAND OFF-GRIDDERS “It’s easy to project stereotypes on to

People living in self-sufficient rural communities have long
been written off as hippies. But as more people come to
low-impact rural communes—that they
realize the benefits of living off the land, attitudes are are isolationist, or living in the past. But
changing. Take Tinker’s Bubble, England’s leading off-grid the opposite is true. These groups are
woodland community as an example. The community,
which was founded in 1994, was just granted planning
testing radical ways of living that will
permission by South Somerset council in April 2023, an have applications for all of our futures,
achievement heralded as a landmark in off-grid whether that’s innovations such as straw-
communities’ long attempts to be accepted by mainstream
Britain. “It’s easy to project stereotypes on to low-impact
bale housing or hyper-local food chains.”
rural communes—that they are isolationist, or living in the — Jenny Pickerill, environmental geographer at the
past,” says environmental geographer Jenny Pickerill. She University of Sheffield
believes the opposite is true: “These groups are testing
radical ways of living that will have applications for all of
our futures, whether that’s innovations such as straw-bale WHAT’S NE T
housing—a material that is abundant and perfect for this
climate—or hyper-local food chains.” → UPLIFT OUTSIDE VOICES
Indigenous communities, farmers, and elderly populations are experts in self-
HOMEGROWN EDUCATION sufficiency. Rather than trying to be the hero, give them a platform to share their
In our ultra-convenient era of drive-thrus and food delivery wisdom with the world.
apps, many kids today have little understanding of—or
→ “DO IT YOURSELF”
appreciation for—where their food actually comes from. In
With less emphasis on consumption, people are learning how to create and fix things
Australia, one supermarket chain aiming to change that is
themselves. Brands can support by providing the know-how while still allowing people
Woolsworth. After learning that over half of six- to 14-year-
to flex their skills.
olds in the country had never visited a farm, Woolsworth
relaunched its Fresh Food Kids Discovery Tours as a way to NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
→ INSPIRE NO-FRILLS WELLNESS
teach the next generation about seeds, plant systems, and
As we say goodbye to woo-woo wellness, brands can help us get back to basics. Think
the farm-to-table journey. Similarly, over in the US, more BIO MATERIALS
homegrown produce kits, experiences that teach you how to live off the land, and all-
schools are introducing hands-on gardening and cooking LO-FI DESIGN
natural health remedies.
classes after a decades-long decline in nutrition education.
A world exhausted by rationality is finding delight
in the discomfort zone. With so few roads left
untraveled and questions left unanswered,
alternate realities and out-of-this-world adventures
will feed our hunger for escapism. It’s time to revive
our sense of wonder.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ODD-YSSEYS 93

BRAND LORE CREATE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURE GAMING

From made-up sports teams to immersive shopping platforms that take Remember the choose-your-own adventure books from childhood? That
you into the world of artists like Drake, a new class of online and offline same concept is now spilling over into the gaming sector, largely fueled
experiences are allowing people to tap out of their grown-up world and by advances in AI that allow anyone to code their own games using just
descend into something a little less serious—if even for just a few natural language prompts. Through open-source gaming system
minutes. As the bar for entertainment continues to rise, storytelling will AI Adventure, for example, players can either create their own narrative
no longer be enough to break through. Brands looking to capture and adventure games using the storytelling power of AI, or jump into a
keep attention must now build entire universes with their own lore, community-made game with unique characters, goals, and graphics.
characters and narrative devices. While most games only allow for a few different scenarios, choose-your-
own adventure games open up an intriguing world of nearly
EXTREME TOURISM limitless choice.
Few stories last year captivated the world quite like the catastrophic
loss of the Titan submersible. But despite its risks—and exorbitant costs— LUCID DREAMS ON DEMAND
adventure tourism is a fast-growing $282B+ industry. Part of the reason From Inception to The Matrix, the ability to manipulate dreams has inspired
for this uptick in thrilling escapes has to do with tourism going mass. some of the most memorable sci-fi movies. Now it’s becoming a reality,
Thanks to flights becoming cheaper over time and the explosion of thanks to a new wearable, noninvasive headband that can induce lucid
#travel posts on social media, we’ve either been everywhere ourselves dreams on demand. The device, which comes from tech startup Prophetic,
or experienced it through our screens—leaving us with very few roads left will deliver low-intensity ultrasound pulses that probe the brain and
untraveled. As a result, once-exotic destinations are now edging closer interact with neural activity. Assuming the device does end up launching in
to the mainstream. Just look to Antarctica, which hosted a record high 2025 as anticipated, we’ll be one step closer to understanding the
105,331 tourists during the 2022-23 travel season. Or, look to space mysterious nature of dreams and consciousness, and one step closer to
tourism companies like World View, which has already sold out its 2024 what Prophetic’s CEO Eric Wollberg describes as a more enchanted world.
flights that take travelers to the edge of space in a weather balloon. “[Lucid dreaming] is the ultimate VR experience. You can fly, you can make
a building rise out of the ground, you can talk to dream characters, and you
DIS-LOYALTY MEMBERSHIP can explore,” he says.
It now pays to be disloyal. Lifestyle group Ennismore is flipping the
traditional loyalty model on its head with Dis-loyalty—a new travel and THE XYDROBE
food membership “that beats boring.” Rather than rewarding people for Luxury shopping experiences are getting more immersive, multisensory,
going back to the same spots again and again, the Dis-loyalty program and virtual, thanks to the Xydrobe. In practice, it’s a physical round, one-
encourages its members to get out of their routine and into unfamiliar person portal that transports shoppers to the metaverse with stunning
places. For £12 ($18 USD) a month, Dis-loyalty members will receive 50% 360° visuals, scents, temperature control, wind, and sound effects that
off newly opened hotels and 20% off first-time stays, among other perks. bring a brand’s unique vibe to life. The system “takes luxury shopping from
For those tired of “the usual,” how else might brands help people find joy predictable to astonishing,” as seen through a recent partnership with
in the discomfort zone? high-end skincare pioneer Dr. Barbara Sturm.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ODD-YSSEYS 94

COMPUTATIONAL FOOD THEATER OF THE FUTURE

Forget about playing with your food. In the future, food will be able Neom, northwest Saudi Arabia‘s $500 billion tourism development, is creating
to play with itself through a niche but growing category of “the theater of the future” with an immersive art and entertainment space
“computational food” innovations. One of the latest examples called Utamo. Guests will not only be fully surrounded by captivating visuals
comes from scientists at Monash University’s Exertion Games Lab in that are projected up to the full height of the building, they’ll “become part of
Australia. The team created a 3D-printed Dancing Delicacies plate the performance itself” according to the press release. The concept is
that automatically moves sauces and condiments around the plate reminiscent of The Sphere, a circular space that’s 360 ft. tall and blanketed in
in a playful, choreographed fashion—upping the ante for storytelling an impressive 580,000 square feet of LED lights—now open in Las Vegas.
and entertainment in an already competitive, fine-dining industry.
Other past projects have included Sonic Straws, an interactive cup
with two straws that produces different sounds when used, and
iScream!, a 3D-printed ice cream cone that makes musical sounds
WHAT’S NE T
unique to each bite.
→ ENABLE ESCAPISM
Think like a world builder or game designer to create immersive worlds
DESTINATION UNKNOWN
that help people unplug from reality.
Would you pay someone to plan a surprise trip for you? Destination
Unknown, a trip-planning company that’s part of Seattle’s Explorer → CO-CREATE
X, is betting that you would. They offer three different options Work with creators to tap into fringe subcultures and absurdist genres.
depending on how daring you are. On a Level 1 trip, you know the
destination and specific locations, such as cities and regions, but → TURN YOUR BRAND INSIDE OUT
not the day-to-day itinerary. On a Level 2 trip, you only know the Nothing makes sense anymore. Just go with it.
main destination. And with Level 3, you don't know anything—not
even which continent you’re going to—until the day you leave. As
crazy as it might sound, these spontaneous trips are part of a NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

growing travel trend. In 2022, West Japan Railway sold 40,000

heavily discounted train tickets to random destinations. And on EXTENDED REALITY
TikTok, creators are posting videos where they show up to the THIRD PLACE GAMING
airport and ask for a ticket on the next available flight—regardless WORLDBUILDING
of where it’s going. For those bored of predictability, the impulsive GENERATIVE AI
and unexpected is finding fresh appeal. SPATIAL COMPUTING
A desire for control has us taking biology into our own hands. From disease
interventions to ultra high-tech tools, a growing category of treatments
and products are helping people hack their way to a healthier, stronger,
younger version of themselves. In the business of self-optimization, no
upgrade is out of reach.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. OPTIMIZED ANATOMY 96

Allied Market Research Group estimates that the total value of

longevity therapies will reach $44.2B by 2030. As a result, it’s
forecasted there will be 3.7M centenarians (those who live past 100)
worldwide by 2050—3X as many per head of population as in 2015.
RACE TO REVERSE AGING EXERCISE PILLS
At RAADfest, aging is considered “a preventable enemy and an Magic pills that mimic the benefits of exercise have long been
unnecessary evil.” Organized by the Coalition for Radical Life Extension, a goal of scientists and, let’s be real, anyone who hates working
the three-day RAAD (Revolution Against Aging and Death) convention out. Good news: we may be getting closer thanks to a landmark
hosts panels and presentations on age reversal studies, longevity, and how experiment taking place in Norway. Called ExPlas (exercised
to simply age better. It also serves as a showroom for the latest products plasma), the clinical trial involves taking blood plasma from young
and services, like “true age” physiology testing, umbilical cord stem cell and healthy adults who exercise on a regular basis and injecting
therapies, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, dietary supplements, and more— it into people aged between 50 and 75 in the early stages of
reeling in attendees with the alluring promise of a longer, healthier life. Alzheimer’s disease. Complete results won’t be available until
While certainly on the radical end, the conference represents a much 2025, but researchers are optimistic that it could be beneficial
larger fight against aging. Elsewhere, entrepreneur and bestselling author not just for those who don’t have the time or willpower to work
Peter Diamandis is launching an XPRIZE competition that will award $101 out, but for elderly people and those with disease or disability.
million to technologies that combat aging and extend health span. The
march toward immortality is on. TESTOSTERONE PARTIES
Testosterone Parties—or “T-Parties”—are the hottest new ticket
LOOKSMAXXING in biohacking circles. At these gatherings, men come together to
“It’s like making a character in a video game and trying to use as many lift weights, take ice baths, swap health tips, and pay anywhere
points as you can in upping the looks-bar stat.” That’s how one popular from $100 to $400 to have their blood tested. The goal? To boost
YouTube video describes looksmaxxing—a term coined by a booming their testosterone levels the natural way. So far, T-Party events
online community of young men who are intent on improving their have sold out in Colombia, New York City, and San Francisco, with
physical appearance. The advice includes everything from eyelash care many more events being planned across the US and Canada.
to “hollowing the cheeks,” with some “harmaxxers” also opting for not-so- Whether junk bro-science or a legitimate strategy, these
natural methods like rhinoplasty or injectables. In many ways, grassroots support groups are starting important conversations
looksmaxxing is just the male version of what women have subscribed about reproductive health in a time when t-levels are declining
to for decades. And while much of the trend is a harmless way to build worldwide—an issue that’s been dubbed “manopause.”
confidence, its reliance on insecurities has the potential to lead some men
down a slippery slope of not-so-harmless extremes if taken too far.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. OPTIMIZED ANATOMY 97

BCI AMBITIONS MORE DOG YEARS

The highly hyped field of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) continued While the FDA has yet to approve any drugs for human life
to heat up in 2023. In August, for instance, two reports were published extension, biotech company Loyal is one step closer to
in Nature on BCIs that can translate neural signals into sentences at bringing one to market—for dogs. The experimental drug
speeds close to that of normal conversation (around 150 words per is specifically intended for big dogs with shorter lifespans.
minute). Just one month later, Elon Musk’s brain-implant company And while it’s not yet available, the FDA recently declared
Neuralink announced that it would start recruiting volunteers for a a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness,” which means
clinical trial to test its device. With several other rivals hitting the
scene, now is a critical moment to consider the potential
the drug will soon be tested in a bigger clinical trial. The
company hopes to release the drug in 2026, and is aiming
WHAT’S NE T
consequences. In July, UNESCO released a statement calling for global to claim at least one year of healthy life extension. “Healthy”
→ SIMPLIFY
regulation of neurotechnology and proposing a universal ethical is the key word here. “If it proves true that it extends life
Think beyond prescription drugs and tech-heavy
framework for it, similar to what it has done in the past for the human span, I’m only interested in that if the period of life that is
wearables. There are plenty of natural ways to boost
genome (in 1997), human genetic data (in 2003) and artificial extended is good quality life,” said Dr. Kate Creevy, chief
performance of the mind and body.
intelligence (in 2021). As innovation accelerates, these frameworks will veterinary officer of the Dog Aging Project.
be just as important as the technologies themselves.
→ BE REALISTIC
Consumers will see through empty or exaggerated
ATHLETE EXOSKELETONS
Wearable exosuits have already proven to be instrumental in reducing “Science and claims—gain trust by practicing full transparency.

risk of injury among physical laborers and military members, increasing technology have → SELF-EVALUATE
mobility for disabled persons, and aiding in physical therapy—fueling
an industry that’s expected to be worth $7.3 billion by 2030. Next,
reached a level of Is your offering solving a real problem? Or just fueling
unhealthy obsessions?
they could also help elite athletes get to the next level. A team of maturity where we
researchers in Seoul recently published a study examining how can begin to have real,
wearable robots can help runners increase their speed by encouraging
them to take more steps, allowing them to cover short distances more
dramatic effects on NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

quickly. The team is now working on a customized exosuit for Kyung- the human condition.” ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
soo Oh, a former national elite runner in South Korea who had retired, NEURAL CONTROL
— Jacob Robinson, CEO and founder of
in a bid to beat the world record for running 100 meters. startup Motif Neurotech TACTILE HAPTICS
The power of platforms is coming into question. High-profile
battles against everything from misinformation to screen
addiction are fueling the “techlash,” and Big Tech companies
are public enemy number one. While established players are
racing to rewrite their wrongs, a wave of ethical alternatives
are coming to market with a clean slate and a shiny new halo.
Self-regulate or be regulated.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. PLATFORM POLITICS 99

ALGORITHM AUTONOMY INFLUENCER ACCOUNTABILITY

TikTok users in Europe are now able to switch off the algorithm behind its The Wild West of influencing is coming to a close. On June 1, 2023, France
For You and Live feeds as the company makes changes to comply with the passed a bill that regulates influencer marketing on social media, making
EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). According to TikTok, disabling this it the first country to define influencers and apply a standard legal
function will show users “popular videos from both the places where they framework to the industry. France’s law comes amid a recent increase in
live and around the world” instead of content based on their personal questionable promotions—making it illegal for influencers to create paid
interests—a big step toward protecting people’s cognitive liberty in a time content promoting cosmetic surgeries, counterfeits, or volatile financial
when what we believe, buy, and lend our attention to is increasingly left up products like Bitcoin. Similarly, in November, popular social media
to algorithms. TikTok is one of 19 companies beholden to the DSA’s rules platforms in China such as WeChat, Douyin, Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu (RED),
(alongside other social media giants like YouTube, Instagram, and X), so we Bilibili and Toutiao simultaneously announced policies that require
can expect similar changes to roll out across Europe and, if all goes well, influencers with 500,000 or more followers to display their real names on
the rest of the globe. their profile. As influencers’ power comes into question, such laws are
making it clear that online actions have real-world consequences. → For
ANTI-ADDICTION LAWS more, watch Backslash’s episode of Life on the Edge: The Influencer Act
The stereotypical image of a teen glued to their smartphone is becoming
more and more real, with one-third of teens saying they use social media ELUSIVE AUTHENTICITY
“almost constantly.” Findings like these, which come alongside sharp There’s no shortage of apps promising a more “authentic” online
declines in youth mental health, are a point of growing concern for experience. Just look to players like Daylyy, Lapse, and Hipstamatic,
governments around the globe. China wants to limit screen time to all of which are still determined to take Instagram’s throne and create a
40 minutes for children aged under eight; France has targeted healthier kind of social media. We also can’t forget about BeReal, which
manufacturers, requiring them to install a parental control system that can was on a major roll before daily users dropped from about 15 million in
be activated when their device is turned on; forty-one US states are suing October 2022 to less than six million in March 2023. While these
Meta, alleging that the tech giant harms children by building addictive alternative apps have each stolen the spotlight for a short stint, none
features into Instagram and Facebook; and the EU’s Digital Services Act is have succeeded in leading a mass migration away from today’s biggest
forcing the biggest online platforms to prove that they’re doing their best platforms—leaving skeptics to question what “authenticity” even means
to make sure their products aren’t harming kids. As pressure continues to anymore. Can apps that ask you to “be real” and perform that realness
mount, tech giants will soon have no choice but to optimize for safety over online ever be truly authentic? And is authenticity as simple as posting
engagement, whether that be by turning off addictive features like without makeup and filters, or is it far deeper than that? Such questions
autoplay and never-ending newsfeeds, or by restricting minors from have yet to be answered, but it won’t stop new entrants from setting out
viewing sensitive content—much like Meta did at the start of this year. to prove that there’s a better way.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. PLATFORM POLITICS 100

MISINFORMATION EDUCATION
More than 85% of people are worried about the impact of online “Algorithmic recommendations WHAT’S NE T
disinformation and 87% believe it has already harmed their country’s and tailored feeds are forced
politics, according to a global 2023 survey. Even fact checkers say that
things aren’t getting better despite growing awareness. So if you can’t
into our eyes, ears, and minds. → INVITE FEEDBACK

stop misinformation from being created altogether, how do you at It’s overwhelming, not to What if platforms shared the inner workings of their algorithms and
allowed users to give real-time feedback? Making algorithm reviews
least help people recognize it when they see it? California believes mention increasingly boring.” as common as restaurant reviews.
the answer lies in educating youth. At the end of last year, the state
passed a bill requiring all public schools to teach K-12 students how — Kyle Chayka, author of Filterworld → DESIGN FOR BOUNDARIES
to spot fake news, as well as how to engage in civil dialogue online and Even beyond social and gaming platforms, every brand with a digital
maintain digital privacy. The hope is that by giving kids a peek behind presence should be exploring ways to foster healthier tech habits.
UNITY’S PRICING BLOWBACK
the curtain, they’ll be able to not only recognize emotional Think self-imposed restrictions, intentional points of friction, and
Unity Technologies may not be a household name, but it is a key engine for more
manipulation, but avoid spreading it. mindful notifications.
than two million game developers who use its software to power their games.
For most of the company’s 20-year history, Unity’s software business was
relatively straightforward: every developer who used Unity’s professional tools
paid a fixed, annual licensing fee. But in September 2023, the company proposed

“2023 is likely to be an abrupt and unwelcomed change. Instead of an annual fee, Unity wanted to

remembered as an inflection charge developers every single time someone installed a copy of their games,
meaning the more popular their game, the more they would pay. Developers
point in the health crisis banded together in response, threatening to leave the platform and causing a PR NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

surrounding social media.” crisis for Unity execs. The company has since apologized and rolled back some of
THIRD PLACE GAMING
the changes—making it so that only developers that make more than $1 million
— Ginia Bellafante, The New York Times and have more than 1 million installs will have to pay up, among other nuanced DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
changes. Whether the updates will be enough to earn back the trust of the
developer community remains to be seen, but the lesson is clear: in a time of
intensifying techlash, greedy business models won’t be tolerated.
A transition to greener, smarter
mobility is upon us. To make the
switch, we’ll need mass
infrastructure overhauls and
enticing incentives that create
better habits at scale. Enabling the
conversion is the next big challenge.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. REROUTED 102

ELECTRIFIED HIGHWAYS OPTIMIZED TRAIN DRIVING

From Europe to the US to Southeast Asia, major steps are being taken to blanket Although trains are one of the most climate-friendly ways to
highways with fast EV chargers. But what if you didn’t have to stop to charge get around, there’s still room for improvement—especially
your car at all? What if it could be charged by simply driving over an electrified considering most long-haul trains in Canada and the US still
road? That very vision is coming to life in Detroit, which became the first run on diesel. Hoping to lessen the environmental impact is
American city to install an electrified roadway in November 2023. This feat was Canadian startup RailVision Analytics. The company created
made possible thanks to new tech from Electreon, an Israeli company developing an AI-enabled software that helps locomotive engineers make
wireless-charging solutions for EVs. And it’s the first of many more experiments small adjustments to their driving that could amount to big
to come. Electreon already has contracts for projects in Israel, Sweden, Germany, savings in diesel fuel. Just as Google Maps tells drivers when
and Italy—meaning a future of unlimited range may not be too far off. to turn, RailVision’s app tells locomotive engineers when to
stay idle and when to increase speed. And while seemingly
GOODNIGHT, NIGHT FLIGHTS incremental, the technology could make a significant impact if
Last year, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport announced plans to stop late night applied to trains everywhere. Metrolinx, a government agency
flights and ban private jets in a bid to reduce noise and lower CO2 emissions. that serves millions of riders in Ontario, saved more than 1.5
Aircraft will no longer take off between midnight and 6 a.m. once the changes go million liters of fuel after using the software for just one year.
into effect no later than 2025-2026. There will also be no more landings between
midnight and 5 a.m. The moves are being made in line with the Paris climate CLIMATE CARD
accord, and will result in 10,000 fewer night flights annually. After the pandemic caused public transportation use to take a
hit, Seoul is now aiming to revitalize buses and subways with a
GREEN VEHICLE INCENTIVES much-anticipated Climate Card. The card unlocks unlimited
Brazil is going all-in on sustainable vehicle development with a new Green access to public transportation, including Seoul Bike, for 3,000
Mobility and Innovation program called “Mover.” The program will promote the won (USD $2.28) a month, making it the first eco-friendly
expansion of investments in energy efficiency, introduce minimum recycling limits farecard to revolutionize transportation in Seoul since the
in vehicle manufacturing, and charge less tax to companies who pollute less. The launch of the integrated metropolitan transfer system back in
tax incentive for companies to invest in decarbonization and comply with the 2004. The move aligns with a global push to cut emissions by
program’s mandatory requirements will be 3.5 billion reais in 2024, 3.8 billion reais prioritizing public transportation. For instance, Germany

“Within the next decade, the mobility in 2025, 3.9 billion reais in 2026, 4 billion reais in 2027 and 4.1 billion reais in 2028.
The new program also increases the mandatory sustainability requirements for
launched the Deutschland ticket (D-ticket), also known as the
49-Euro-Ticket, in May 2023, resulting in 1 million car-
ecosystem will undergo a transformation vehicles sold in the country, including the measurement of carbon emissions dependent individuals switching to public transportation.
not seen since the early days of the “from well to wheel.” In the case of ethanol biofuel, for example, emissions will be Eleven million tickets were sold within just three months.

automobile.” measured from the planting of sugarcane to the burning of the fuel.

— McKinsey Quarterly, 2023

 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. REROUTED 103

AFRICA’S E-BUSES EV CHARGING COOPERATIVES

Across Africa, public transport is embracing By 2030, cities will need to charge up to 20 times as many electric cars as today,
electrification at an unprecedented pace. South Africa but charging infrastructure is struggling to keep up with that growth.
is the latest country to take the leap after Golden Arrow Copenhagen-based startup Elby has a unique solution: integrating chargers into
—South Africa’s largest public transportation service— the walls of existing multistory buildings with adjacent street parking. Car
unveiled plans to electrify 60 buses from its fleet every owners use their own cable to connect their car to the wall unit, running the
year, beginning from 2024, until it has replaced every cable through a secure sleeve in the sidewalk. They can turn on the charger using
single diesel-powered bus. Other countries making the Elby’s app and pay DKK 2 (USD 0.28) plus the cost of electricity, which is among
switch include Kenya, which has seen private firms such the lowest charging rates in the Danish market. Best of all, building owners
as Basigo introduce e-buses tailored to the Kenyan receive up to 60% of the profits generated from their Elby sockets—allowing
market; Rwanda, which has entered a partnership with them to profit from excess power capacity that’s rarely used. With interest from
Vivo Energy to add more than 200 e-buses; and Egypt, New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Stockholm, and more, Elby’s model could
with cities like Cairo, Alexandria and Sharm El-Sheikh all serve as a blueprint for expanding charging infrastructure globally.
becoming major e-bus hubs.

DRONE DELIVERIES WHAT’S NE T

After more than a decade of development, delivery
drones are finally soaring into the mainstream. One big → INNOVATE AROUND MOBILITY

reason is that drones have only recently been approved How we get from A to B has implications for every single industry. Drones

to fly “beyond the visual line of sight” in the US, opening will make it possible to deliver food on hikes or at the beach, EV charging

the door for more companies to begin widespread stations will turn retail parking lots into hangout spots, and autonomous cars

drone deliveries in 2024. This has huge implications for will open up new options for in-car entertainment.

retail, food, medicine, and more. Amazon is ramping up

→ MAKE ECO-FRIENDLY TRANSPORT THE OBVIOUS CHOICE
toward a goal of 500 million drone deliveries per year by
Rewards, gamification, and financial incentives can give people the initial
the end of the decade; restaurants like Mendocino
push needed to make lasting changes.
Farms, Sweetgreen, and Domino’s are all eyeing drone
deliveries for quicker delivery; and on the medical front,
→ REINTRODUCE JOY
players like Amazon and Zipline are now sending
Commutes don’t have to be dreadful. Something as simple as an artful bus
prescriptions and medical supplies via the skies. This
design or a new bike route can make the journey more enjoyable.
means the US could finally catch up to places like
Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and Africa, where
hundreds of thousands drone deliveries have already NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
been completed. At this rate, deliveries made via slow,
noisy, polluting trucks could soon be a distant memory. ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS CONNECTED OBJECTS BIO-MATERIALS
We’re letting nature reclaim its place in our
world. As we wake up to the fact that
restoring biodiversity is key to our survival,
we’ll see rewilding become a common priority
among lawmakers, businesses, and local
residents. In the push to welcome back the
wild, everyone has a role to play.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. REWILD RESILIENCE 105

WELCOMING BACK THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH

“Every city has acres
The woolly mammoth, which went extinct 4,000 years ago, could be making
a comeback as soon as 2028 courtesy of startup Colossal Biosciences.
of in-between land
They’ll do so by creating an embryo of a woolly mammoth through gene that, if managed well,
editing, and placing it in an African elephant to take advantage of its size
could become oases
and allow it to give birth to the new woolly mammoth. The eventual goal
is to then repopulate parts of the Arctic with the new woolly mammoth,
of greenery harboring
whose migration patterns and dietary habits would strengthen local plant insect, bird and other
life. The company is also working on bringing back the dodo and the
animal life.”
Tasmanian tiger. If these efforts are successful, we can expect new ethical
debates to surface regarding the risks and implications of reintroducing — Ben Wilson, historian and the author
lost species. of “Urban Jungle: The History and
Future of Nature in the City”

BEE-FRIENDLY PACKAGING
Liquor brand Inverroche recognizes that without South Africa’s bee
population—about 70% of which has been lost—its gin would not exist. With FITTING IN FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE
that jarring statistic in mind, the company launched limited-edition Rewilding has become core to conservation efforts around the
packaging that doubles as a “hotel” for solitary bees. So far, Inverroche has globe. But in Australia’s deserts, where Indigenous people have
created 6,000 hotels to house 672,000 solitary bees. “There’s a lot of been living on and managing the land for the last 60,000 years, the
packaging these days that tries to be sustainable by doing less harm,” says term “rewilding” can be controversial. “To me, it implies straight
Kyle Schoeman, creative director at the advertising agency Grid Worldwide. away that there’s no wild left in the deserts, which I think is a bit
“This goes one step further in trying to create packaging that almost of a misnomer for the Australian deserts,” says Gareth Catt,
becomes regenerative.” deserts project manager with the Indigenous Desert Alliance. The
reality is that groups of Indigenous rangers have long dedicated
REWILD THE RUN themselves to looking after the land by protecting native species,
One day, doing your part to restore nature could be as simple as going for removing invasive weeds, trapping feral species, and more. At the
a run. At least, that’s the idea behind Rewild the Run, a 3D-printed shoe same time, though, government efforts are underway across the
outsole that fits over regular sneakers. It’s covered in small loops that grab country to fence off areas of land in order to reintroduce locally
dirt and seeds as you run and then disperse them in a different area—similar extinct mammals, which doesn’t necessarily account for a human
to what the fur and feet of wild animals does. While just a concept for now, presence. To achieve the country’s conservation goals, the two
the designer behind the project is hopeful that it will inspire shoe groups will have to work together to ensure that First Nations
manufacturers to innovate with rewilding efforts in mind. people—and their practices—are fitting into the picture.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. REWILD RESILIENCE 106

THE GOLF COURSE, REWILDED BEAUTY BRANDS FOR BIODIVERSITY

Despite appearing as “green space,” golf courses aren’t exactly Recognizing that natural beauty products can’t be made without natural
good for the environment. Not only are forests and trees often ingredients, eco-conscious brands are using their resources to protect the
cleared to make room for a fairway, but maintaining that pristine planet. French luxury brand YSL Beauty joined forces with global nonprofit
grass requires excessive amounts of water and carbon- Re:wild to launch Rewild Our Earth—a program aiming to restore 100,000
intensive fertilizers. But a shift is underway. In the US, where the hectares of nature’s most threatened areas around the world by 2030.
number of golf course closures have outweighed new openings Similarly, Swiss brand Weleda has committed £330,000 to preventing soil
every year since 2006, conservation nonprofits and local degradation through its Save the Earth’s Skin campaign. “Weleda has been
authorities are working to acquire abandoned golf courses and growing the plants used to make its skin and healthcare products
turn them into biodiverse landscapes. Similarly, in the UK, a organically for over a century,” said Eileen Smith, global brand equity head
former golf course in Cheshire that closed a few years ago has of Weleda. “Commitment to soil is at the heart of our product sourcing.”
since fully rewilded itself and is now managed by the Woodland
Trust—serving as a beautiful example of how nature will thrive
when given the opportunity. WHAT’S NE T
UNTAMED YARDS → RESTORE NATURAL RESOURCES
Perfectly manicured yards are out, all-natural and untamed is in. If your supply chain takes from the Earth, consider your brand
While large-scale rewilding projects tend to soak up most of the responsible for giving back to it.
attention, there’s also a growing push to get homeowners to do
their part by creating gardens that allow nature to flourish. This → EMPOWER INDIVIDUAL ACTION
might mean refraining from use of chemicals or peat; planting Encourage everyone to get involved—whether by planting native
nectar-rich plants and fruiting trees; using hedges rather than species in their backyard or taking part in local volunteer programs.
fences; creating a pond; turning lawns into wildflower
→ EXAMINE YOUR FOOTPRINT
meadows; or installing bird boxes. It could also mean sitting
Are your offices, retail spaces, or manufacturing facilities
back and simply doing less, as encouraged by movements like
contributing to the destruction of nature? How can you scale back
No Mow May, which advocates for just what it says: a month
or rebuild in a way that supports biodiversity?
without mowing the lawn. Swedish company Husqyarna is
bringing this ethos to life by introducing a new “rewilding mode”
to its robotic lawnmowers. When activated, the feature will NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
automatically leave 10% of your yard unmown in order to help
rebuild a more natural meadow. LO-FI DESIGN BESPOKE LLMS BIO-MATERIALS
Globalization’s fall from grace is allowing us to rediscover our roots. While
being worldly was once a point of pride, we’re now turning inward and
getting in touch with our local and national heritage—gaining newfound
appreciation for the people and traditions that came before us. To know
who we are, we must first understand our history.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ROOTS REVIVAL 108

MALI DROPS FRENCH SILK FARMING INTERNSHIPS

With its new constitution, Mali, the eighth-largest country in Africa, has For the first time ever, you can get an internship in the silkworm
dropped French—its official language since 1960. French will still remain in use cultivation business in Japan. Those accepted into this three-
as a working language, but it will be replaced by 13 indigenous languages week summer program will be able to take part in the tradition
(Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fula, Hassaniya, Kassonke, Maninke, Minyanka, of Iyo raw silk production in Seiyo, which has been declining in
Senufo, Songhay, Soninke, and Tamasheq), all of which will receive official recent years. According to the Dainippon Silk Foundation, there
language status. The decision comes at a time of growing anti-French were roughly 2.21 million silkworm farms at the peak in 1929, but
sentiments across West Africa due to its perceived military and political the figure had plummeted to just 163 by 2022.The industry
interference. It also comes as scholars take steps to expand documentation hopes the internship program will reignite interest among
of other endangered African languages. upcoming generations. For young people who take pride in local
craft, these careers offer stability as well as an opportunity to
BACKUP UKRAINE keep a timeless practice alive.
As war rages on in Ukraine, a project called Backup Ukraine is aiming to
preserve the country’s cultural heritage with a digital backup in the cloud—far
from the reach of bombs and other physical threats. The initiative lets anyone
become an archivist by simply scanning buildings and monuments as full 3D
models using just their phone, then storing them as blueprints in an open,
“[Heritage] is no longer just
secure online archive. The resulting data will not only aid in future rebuilding a matter of monuments,
efforts, it will also help tell the story of the war for generations to come.
sites or stones…heritage is
ARCHITECTURAL UPRISING
also alive. It can be sung,
“People have the right to be angry, because all the ugliness written, listened to and
they see is on purpose.” That’s from Michael Diamant, co-founder of
touched. Each of us carries
Architectural Uprising—a collective saying no to the global onslaught of gray,
minimalist, modern architecture. What started as a small Facebook Group
a part of this heritage in us,
against the “uglification” of Sweden has grown into a full-fledged movement and protects it.”
with sister organizations across the Nordics, UK, and Estonia. Diamant and his
fellow uprisers are demanding a return to beautifully built environments that — Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO's Director General
reflect a destination’s history. This doesn’t mean that buildings will look old.
Rather, the group wants to celebrate a new progressive style in the local
tradition. Architectural Uprising’s global success shows that in a world where
more and more cities are beginning to look the same, we all desire to keep our
built environments unique.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ROOTS REVIVAL 109

ART, REPATRIATED COW HUG DAY

The Rosetta Stone is returning home to Egypt—at least, In India, Valentine’s Day is now “Cow Hug Day.” The Indian
digitally. Frustrated that the UK has not returned the famous government is urging citizens to forget about candy
slab to its former colony, London-based design collective hearts, chocolate roses, and love letters on February 14,
Looty is taking repatriation into its own hands. It does this and to instead turn their attention to Hindu’s sacred cows.
through “digital heists.” Essentially, Looty uses AR technology The new holiday is prime minister Narendra Modi’s latest
to make 3D replicas of stolen artifacts like the Rosetta Stone, attempt to make reverence of the cow a nationwide
which are made accessible via QR codes and displayed in the policy. It also aims to offset the “dazzle of western
metaverse as well as in real-life exhibitions. Looty’s ultimate civilization,” which leaders say is watering down Indian
goal is to end Western museums’ dominance over historical traditions. As westernized holidays and traditions
narratives by allowing anyone to access pieces of their heritage
—even if they can’t physically travel to the British Museum or
continue to draw backlash, it’s likely that this won’t be
the only Valentine’s Day rebrand seen around the world.
WHAT’S NE T
the Louvre. And given that museums are notoriously exclusive Expect more localized occasions to come.
→ REMIX IT
and slow-moving, Looty’s use of technology is unlocking a much
Bring ancient traditions and stories to modern platforms—
faster path to change. FOLK’S NEW GROOVE
reaching younger generations by making the old feel new.
In Britain, folk culture, which tends to conjure up images
FLAMENCO LAW of bearded white men playing guitars, is shaving off its old → AVOID SMALL-WASHING
¡Baile! ¡Baile! Spain has passed its first “flamenco law.” Flamenco, stereotypes in favor of something different. Thanks to To be truly local-led, work hand-in-hand with the
the passionate Spanish-Andalusian dance accompanied by music festivals like Glastonbury and collaborative TikTok residents and communities that came before you. Think
guitar and singing, was hard-hit during the pandemic. Several videos, a new wave of UK artists is giving the traditional locally inspired store designs and partnerships with local
historic flamenco bars (known as tablaos) were forced to close folk scene an edgier, more diverse spin. One such group makers and Indigenous peoples.
their doors, putting many artists out of work. In April 2023, the is Boss Morris. Inspired by traditional Cotswold Morris
government of Andalusia put protections in place to ensure the dances, the all-female dance troupe moves to modern
art form sticks around for future generations. The new law "aims music with a clear mission. As they outline on their
to provide flamenco with a legal framework to guarantee its website, they’re “playing with a modern vision of a
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
protection, conservation, and the promotion of its knowledge traditional folk dance while actively rejecting themes of
for its use as a social good.” In addition to providing greater nationalistic values.” Long turned off by the lack of
EXTENDED REALITY
legal protections for flamenco artists, the legislation will also representation in folk culture, young people in Britain are
NON-FUNGIBLE EVERYTHING
require flamenco to be taught and celebrated in schools. embracing this fresh take.
WORLDBUILDING
It’s time to bring sexy back. Blurred lines between
objectification and empowerment have long complicated
our relationship with sexuality, but a culture healing from
the past is ready to get sexy again—no shame attached.
Say hello to a new era of pleasure positivity.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. SEXUAL LIBERATION 111

THIS BODY WORKS FOR ME KINK CON

Showmax original reality show This Body Works For Me is giving viewers a rare behind-the-scenes 2023 was the year of India’s very first kink convention—a big deal for a country where even discussing sex between heterosexual couples is still
look into South Africa’s thriving adult entertainment industry. The show, which returned for a second taboo. At Kink Con 2023, a diverse group of attendees between 20 and 60+ years old gathered in Goa to strengthen the bonds of the existing
season last year, offers authentic insight into the lives of seven women—including a mother and a kink community while also welcoming curious newbies onto the scene. Discussions and demonstrations covered everything from bondage and
stripper named Diamond, and a trans woman and aspiring farmer called Lebo. Their hope is that by fetishes, to polyamory and other nontraditional relationship structures. Safety, consent, and mental health were also a key focus of every
sharing their personal stories with the world, they can begin to break the stigma and get the public to session. “Our purpose is to demystify kink, break down taboos, and help others understand that the community holds consent and respect at its
see adult entertainers as real people who have real ambitions. core,” explains one of the organisers and co-founders of Kinky Collective.

BRINGING SEXY BACK SEX WELLNESS TOURISM

Since 2021, Victoria’s Secret has been steadily retiring its hyper-sexualized image in favor of a more As sexual well-being becomes recognized as a core component of overall health, the travel industry is capitalizing on the trend with a wide array
inclusive approach. But praise from critics didn’t exactly translate into higher sales. The brand is of sex-positive getaways. And there’s one to fit every kind of desire. Hotels like Shou Sugi Ban House in New York have started hosting sexual
projecting revenue of $6.2 billion this fiscal year, down about 5% from the previous year and well and emotional intimacy retreats led by tantric experts and clinical sexologists. The SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante, Spain, recently launched a
below the $7.5 billion from 2020. In a bid to boost profits, the company now appears to be returning to sexual health unit staffed with gynecologists, hormonal experts, and urologists. And in October 2024, wellness resort Aerial BVI will host its first-
its roots—as evidenced by more recent campaigns featuring Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, Naomi ever Elevate Love Summit on a private Caribbean island, which will focus on rekindling physical and emotional intimacy. There also are retreats
Campbell, and the longest-running VS Angel, Adriana Lima. As the company turns the heat back up, that center around self-sex, some that offer yoga with a side of sensuality, and even parent-friendly offerings that include all-day childcare.
Victoria’s Secret and Pink Brand President Greg Unis is ensuring investors that “sexiness
can be inclusive.”

F#CKING OLD
Safe-sex campaigns are no longer just for horny teens. After learning that rates of STIs were
increasing among Canadians ages 65 and up, Canada-based condom brand Jems called them out
directly through a cheeky campaign called “F#cking Old.” The campaign encourages young people,
who are typically more comfortable discussing sex, to engage in open conversations about sexual
health with their elders. To help start the conversation, Jems even made hard candies with safer sex
tips on the wrappers. The candies were available for purchase on their website and all proceeds went
to Action Canada for Sexual Health & Rights.

UNPRUDE
Talking about sex is still highly taboo in the Philippines—especially for Catholics who make up 80% of
the country’s population. Unprude wants to change that. As Asia’s first sex therapy app, Unprude is
taking a unique approach that’s grounded in local culture. When you open the app, the first thing you’ll
see is a questionnaire that asks things like “How do you feel about masturbation?” and “How did you
learn about sex growing up?” Based on your responses, Unprude will then curate content that’s
aligned to your sexual values. While similar apps from Western countries tend to be more explicit,
Unprude is showing how sex wellness can be adapted to personal and cultural context.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. SEXUAL LIBERATION 112

GENDER-BIASED AD CENSORSHIP
Despite all the progress being made to embrace pleasure in
WHAT’S NE T
culture, censorship on social media is still very real. This is a
→ CHECK YOUR TONE
big problem for companies that rely on social platforms to
Are you portraying sex in a healthy, positive manner?
advertise their sex toys and lubricants—especially if they’re
Brands can break the stigma by normalizing pleasure
targeting women. To call attention to the gendered double
as an act of self-care and fostering a more open and
standard, sex wellness startup Unbound created a fake
honest sex conversation.
brand last year called Thunderthrust, which appeared to
sell sex toys and related products for men. They even → OFFER RANGE
created a website for the mock brand and bought paid Acknowledge that sexual liberation looks different
social media ads. Unsurprisingly, the ads were accepted. for everyone. Are you being mindful of various
On the flip side, when Unbound submitted brightly colored, relationship styles, comfort levels, sexual
female-centric ads for its own real products—like the Ollie preferences, etc.?
wand vibrator or Cuffies handcuffs—platforms rejected
them. This is a long-standing issue that companies like
Unbound are up against. And despite Meta's 2022 policy
change that now allows sexual health, wellness, and
reproductive health ads, it appears there's still more work
to be done to squash the bias.

QUEER DESIRE
Queer artist Patthakarn Sadubtham is challenging
Thailand’s sex taboo through his photography. His work
was most recently on display not in an art gallery, but in
a sauna called Krubb that specifically caters to the needs
of gay men in Bangkok. It included photos of men taking NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

part in various kinks, such as Shibari (erotic bondage),

dog costumes, and more. With queer discrimination still AVATAR IDENTITIES
rampant in Thailand, Patthakarn is hopeful that his work TACTILE HAPTICS
will inspire other queer artists and individuals to express UNTETHERED AUDIO
themselves without fear of judgment. COMMUNITY COMMERCE
With disruptive forces making it harder to predict the jobs of tomorrow, stability is in high
demand. Workers are chasing companies that will invest in their future, while employers are aiming
to attract and retain talent with practical perks and upskilling opportunities. The new dream job is
the one that’s future-proof.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. STABILITY PURSUIT 114

NO DEGREE NEEDED
Welcome to the age of skills-based hiring. While a four-year degree has long been considered the clearest
The World Economic
pathway to a steady, respectable job, that may not be the case for much longer. With 77% of companies Forum predicts that
globally reporting talent shortages—the highest in 17 years—more of them are dropping college 44% of workers’
requirements and setting their sights on skills. In the US, a whopping 55% of companies removed degree
requirements in 2023, and 45% plan to keep the trend going in 2024. For this model to actually be
skills will be
effective, though, employers must commit to closing the skills gaps with in-house education. This disrupted between
includes apprenticeships, alternative credential programs, and on-the-job training that sets incoming 2023 and 2028—up
workers up for success.
nine percentage
CHINA’S RURAL PUSH points from its last
As China’s economy slows, young people are bearing the brunt of an unemployment crisis that’s five-year projection.
leaving one in five of them jobless. And with slim job prospects in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai,
the government is doubling down on efforts to get young people to relocate to the countryside. In — World Economic Forum
Guangdong, provincial officials are aiming to lure 300,000 young people to its rural areas by the end of
2025. Offers include two-year civil service placements, agricultural internships, and incubators programs
to help grow business ideas. Ultimately, living in the countryside is a trade-off for many young Chinese. LUXURY TRADE TRAINING
Rural jobs pay much less, but they also provide stability and often other benefits like free lodging and Faced with a shortage of specialized craftspeople, luxury
food. Meanwhile, back in the cities, some unemployed Chinese youth are moving back in with their brands are launching their own schools and training centers.
parents and taking on roles as “full-time children.” In October, LVMH announced the creation of a “centre for
excellence in the trades,” which will house an employee training
FLEXTIREMENT area as well as practical craft workshops for the general public.
The future is looking more and more gray, with workers age 55 and above set to fill 150 million more jobs In the same week, Bottega Veneta launched a school to train
globally by 2030. And while most people don’t want to spend their final chapter of life working full time, both university students and current employees with classes
longer life spans often mean a greater financial safety net is needed. One solution that could serve both covering everything from bag design, to production, to
companies and employees is flextirement. As explained by Niel Costa for Fast Company, “Flextirement professional communication skills. These efforts aim to
would allow employees the opportunity to semi-retire, never fully leaving their current job or finding a preserve age-old skills that are at risk of disappearing as
new opportunity but working in some part-time capacity. This could be focused on key initiatives, a craftspeople retire. Altagamma estimates that over the next
project basis, or a mentorship role.” Such an arrangement would give older employers the opportunity five years, Italy’s luxury goods companies will need to employ
to flex their expertise as they transition to a more relaxed lifestyle, while also allowing employers to 346,000 professionals in top-level trades, including more than
retain seasoned talent that may be too expensive to employ full time. 40,000 in fashion and leather goods.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. STABILITY PURSUIT 115

COLLEGE-COMPANY COLLABS INFLUENCER EDUCATION

There’s no debating the fact that innovation moves There’s finally a clear path to making it as a full-time influencer in the $250 billion
fast. So how can universities ensure that the creator economy. To help people on their journey, talent management company
curriculum is keeping pace with the skills employers Whalar is launching The Lighthouse—a series of physical campuses for creators to
actually need, when they need them? One way is to learn, make, and collaborate with their peers. Two campuses will open next year in
forge closer collaborations. Just look to how Roblox Venice, CA, and Brooklyn, NY, with a third location coming to London in 2025. What
partnered with Parsons School of Design to launch a sets The Lighthouse apart from previous content houses is its emphasis on
course focused on digital fashion—an industry education. Each campus will be modeled after a university, complete with lecture
expected to be worth $2.5 billion by 2028. This halls where students will learn about topics like e-commerce strategy, navigating
could very well become the new model going taxes and brand contracts, using AI, and more. Another institution taking influencers
forward, where employers work hand in hand with seriously is Southeast Technical University in Carlow, Ireland, which is set to
universities to design courses as trends unfold. introduce the country’s first degree in social media influencing this September.

HUMANOID ROBOT WORKERS

From robotic restaurants to AI code generators, it’s
WHAT’S NE T
no wonder why the fear of becoming obsolete → INVEST IN UPSKILLING
(“FOBO”) is intensifying. For the millions of people Build educational programs in-house to help current and prospective
around the world who work in warehouses, these employees keep up with the latest skills.
concerns became even more real when news broke
that Amazon is testing a humanoid robot that looks → LEVEL-UP BENEFITS
and moves just like them. Built by Oregon-based Are your employee benefits offering stability in both work and life?
startup Agility Robotics, the robot (named Digit) will
initially be used to help employees pick up and → LEND PROTECTIONS
move empty crates after they’ve been emptied. But Brands can offer stability to their consumers through locked-in rates,
that’s not all. The e-commerce giant is also safe investment options, and long-term promises.
deploying a separate wheel-based robot system
called Sequoia that it claims will be able to identify
and store inventory 75% faster than humans. NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
Despite Amazon insisting that these systems will
support employees rather than replace them, it’s ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
not hard to imagine a future where warehouses are BESPOKE LLMS
entirely run by bots. GENERATIVE AI
A privacy renegotiation is underway. Fed up
with inescapable surveillance, citizens are
taking back their identities and demanding
better protections both online and off. In the
age of constant intrusion, Stealth Mode is
peace of mind and anonymity is the ambition.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. STEALTH MODE 117

ARTISTS AGAINST AI BURNER PHONES

A new data poisoning tool called Nightshade is helping Deloitte and KPMG, two of the Big Four accounting firms, were
artists prevent their work from being used to train AI models recently advised by their US-based executives not to use their
without their consent. The open-source tool lets artists add usual work phones on a trip to Hong Kong, according to the
invisible changes to the pixels in their art before they upload Financial Times. Instead, staff was instructed to use cheap
it online, so that if it’s scraped into an AI training set, it will burner phones that can be discarded after the trip in order to
cause the model to break in unpredictable ways. For protect their identity and their whereabouts. The advice comes
example, the “poison” may exploit a security vulnerability after China introduced the national security law in Hong Kong in
that makes the model think that images of cars are cows, or 2021, which has been used to clamp down on pro-democracy
that hats are cakes. As AI copyright lawsuits hang in the activism and reinforce Beijing's control over the city. Similarly,
balance, tools like Nightshade are shifting power back to the athletes participating in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics were
people and sending a strong message to tech giants: until also advised to use burner phones.
there’s fair credit and compensation across the board,
artists will continue playing defense. VIRTUAL PRIVATE ASSISTANTS
Imagine if you could make dinner reservations, schedule
INVISIBILITY CLOAKS appointments, or buy things online without ever having to share
According to Italian startup Cap_able, surveillance is out and your name or any other personal information. That’s the vision
When it comes to who is responsible for privacy-first fashion is in. The company is taking on AI with a being championed by Internet of Things expert Tom Snyder,

privacy leadership, half (50%) of adults globally unique line of hoodies, pants, T-shirts, and dresses that are who is advocating for the creation of what he calls “Virtual

say national or local government should be specially designed to confuse facial recognition software.
Each garment sports a pattern, known as an “adversarial
Private Assistants,” or VPAs. Similar to how a VPN works, these
VPAs would use an anonymized IP address in order to verify
primary, 21% said organizations (including patch,” that makes it so that the camera will either fail to your identity without ever revealing it. In practice, this would

private companies), and 19% said the identify the wearer or will think they are one of the animals allow someone to schedule a haircut online without inputting a

individuals themselves should be primarily embedded into the design, which includes a zebra, giraffe,
dog, and more. It’s fashion that doesn’t just look cool, but
name or phone number, then simply show up at the
appointment and tap their phone to a terminal to verify that the
responsible for protecting their own data. makes a serious statement against our era of 24/7 tracking. appointment is theirs. Such a service would make anonymity
→ For more, watch Backslash’s episode of Life on the Edge: the norm, giving people the choice to share their data only in
— Cisco 2023 Consumer Privacy Survey Anti-Surveillance Activism the instances where they feel the value outweighs the costs.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. STEALTH MODE 118

ONLINE SAFETY ACT CONTROVERSY CONTROLLED “SHARENTING” WHAT’S NE T

In an effort to turn the UK into the “safest place in the world to By the time kids are 18, an average of 70,000 pieces of
be online,” the British government recently pushed the Online information about them are available online. Even more → INNOVATE WISELY
Safety Bill through parliament. But critics warn that the bill may surprising is that most of that information isn’t even shared Develop privacy solutions for the
actually end up threatening privacy—not boosting it. The most by them. Much of it is posted on social media courtesy of most vulnerable citizens first.
controversial clause of the Online Safety Act is Section 122, their proud parents, who often start posting baby photos
which would allow companies to scan users’ messages to make days or even hours after they’re born (AKA “sharenting”). → AVOID ABSTRACTION

sure that they aren’t sending illegal material. That would be nearly Enter Footprint, a secure platform that limits parents to Simple, straightforward privacy

impossible to do without breaking the end-to-end encryption sharing with a maximum of 36 people rather than a bunch policies make for stronger trust

on platforms like WhatsApp and Signal. To call attention to the of random internet strangers. The app offers the same level and better-informed decisions.

potentially dangerous implications, WhatsApp released a short of security you’d get by sharing photos and videos via
→ REBUILD FOR PRIVACY
film in October showing how a group of teenage Afghan soccer email, but with the same engaging social elements you’d
What if entire spaces, products,
players used the app to coordinate their escape from the Taliban find on Facebook or Instagram. It also comes amid a
and experiences were completely
after the withdrawal of US troops in 2021. “We produced this broader push to reconsider how child privacy is being
redesigned around privacy?
documentary to help raise awareness around the particular exploited online, as seen through the emergence of
safety issues women face and how private communication campaigns like Quit Clicking Kids, which aims to protect
allows everyone to speak freely, wherever they are in the world,” child influencers from money-hungry parents.
says Victoria Grand, WhatsApp’s VP of global affairs.
GLOBAL VPN GROWTH
DATA ANONYMIZER Back in 1996, Microsoft originated the concept of a Virtual
Just as artists and media companies have complained that Private Network (VPN) as a way to allow employees
generative AI developers have used their work without anywhere in the world to be connected via the public
permission, data regulator are now saying the same for people’s internet, while at the same time in a protected, private
personal information. Hoping to provide some protection is network. Since then, their popularity has exploded as
Japanese startup Acompany Inc. The company is developing a people have becoming increasingly aware of how their
NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
"Data Anonymizer," service that detects and automatically masks online data is constantly being monitored and sold. It’s
highly confidential information when businesses use generative estimated that 1.6 billion people worldwide now use VPNs
CONNECTED OBJECTS
AI such as ChatGPT. This includes a person's name, telephone for freer access and peace of mind, accounting for about
DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
number, home address, email address, and bank account—all 31% of all global internet traffic.
AVATAR IDENTITIES
of which are readily available online.
An uptight world is ready to loosen up. Exhausted by
impossible standards and bored of perfection, society is
embracing all things messy and unfiltered—and refusing
to apologize for it. Aspirational culture is out, and flaws are
being put front and center.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. UNGLOSSED 120

FAILURE WEEK REJECTION THERAPY

While most universities put success on a pedestal, Korea’s leading With over 100 million views on TikTok, “rejection therapy”
science and technology institute, KAIST, is teaching students to is getting people more comfortable with hearing “no.”
embrace failure. Welcome to Failure Week. The two-week event Whether it’s asking a stranger for a hug or asking to get
kicked off in October, and consisted of a “Capture the Failure something for free, the goal of rejection therapy is simple:
Moment” photo contest, a “Failed Tasks Showdown” where students try to get rejected, and eventually become so comfortable
share their screw-ups in a stand-up comedy format, and professor- with it that it no longer affects you or induces anxiety. For
led “Failure Seminars” that teach students how to deal with failure in some, it’s a fun monthlong challenge. For others, it’s a kind
a healthy way. The KAIST Center for Ambitious Failure (CAF) says the of exposure therapy for their people-pleasing tendencies
event has been arranged to allow students to shamelessly share or irrational fears of being embarrassed in public.
their failures in an institution that’s typically teeming with
competition and intense academic pressure. RAW DATING
RAW is bringing the BeReal ethos to the online dating
DIVORCE PARTIES scene. Hailed as a more authentic kind of dating app,
“End of an Error” sashes, champagne, and “Thank U Next” balloons RAW is trading perfectly curated profiles for real-time
are just a few things you might find at a divorce party. These parties photos that users post daily. The idea is that everyone
aren’t necessarily celebrating the end of a marriage, but rather, the appears as they really are on that very day, just as is the
start of a new chapter. And they’re becoming increasingly popular. case when you meet people IRL. Other notable features
Pinterest searches for “divorce-party games” surged 80% in June include self-destructing chats that help minimize the
2022 compared the year before, and related hashtags have over 83k effects of ghosting, and a “respect meter” that shows
posts on Instagram, 100M views on TikTok, and thousands of likes on people’s green/beige/red flags as reported by others.
Chinese video-sharing app Xiaohongshu. Though certainly not for With 200K monthly active users across the US and the UK
everyone, these post-marriage soirees represent a cultural shift in just five months, it appears that RAW’s mission is
away from the idea that divorce is something to be ashamed of. resonating with daters.

SCROUNGING
In the Scrounging cookbook, you won’t find perfectly plated, Instagram-ready dishes. In fact, you’ll find the opposite. The cookbook comes from
film production company A24, and it features a compilation of “54 last-ditch recipes from the movies” like Parker Posey’s single chicken wing in
Waiting for Guffman and Buddy’s maple-syrup-soaked spaghetti in Elf. All of the flash photos are intentionally unappetizing, and recipes range
from the outrageous (like an egg-and-snickers smoothie) to the shamelessly indulgent (like carbonara eaten in bed). The point of the book,
according to chef Matty Matheson, is to remind people that “Eating isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes it’s thrifty, idiosyncratic, messy, or weird–
sometimes a little too weird.”
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. UNGLOSSED 121

CRINGE CONTENT HALL OF SHAME

As a concept, cringe content is difficult to describe. But Every year, Forbes releases its highly anticipated “30-
if a video makes you so uncomfortable that it’s hard to Under-30” list that recognizes the most impressive
get through, it probably qualifies. Failed attempts, founders, tech titans, and cultural tastemakers. But in an
politically incorrect humor, exaggerated fandoms, and unexpected move, the company published its first-ever
impersonations of unbearable people are just a few “Hall of Shame” in 2023. The list features previous 30-
examples. One creator cashing in on all-things cringe is Under-30 honorees who have since fallen from grace,
Stanzi Potenza, who describes herself as a “sketch including now-infamous names like Martin Shkreli and Sam
comedian from hell.” She has gained millions of followers Bankman-Fried. By clearly calling out “the picks they wish
on TikTok and YouTube by posting content that pokes they could take back,” Forbes is practicing unabashed
fun of everything from mansplaining to horror film “The accountability and proving that even the most highly
Purge.” Other forms of cringe content may be less praised individuals aren’t always what they appear to be.
obviously satirical. But if you’re unsure whether
something is serious or intentionally embarrassing, it’s
safe to assume that the joke is probably on you.
WHAT’S NE T
HAIRY GIRL SUMMER
Forget hot girl summer, it’s time to embrace “hairy girl → TAKE PRIDE IN THE WORK-IN-PROGRESS

summer.” The movement has been championed by the Give customers a behind-the-scenes look at

likes of Spanish influencer Calita Fire and Aussie your brand (the good, the bad, the ugly), and

influencer Bella Davis, spurring a global movement that be upfront about the things that still need

encourages women to put down the razors and let their improvement.

all-natural, completely normal body hair do its thing. “I

→ LOWER THE BAR
think more and more women and girls are asking
Are your ads or product claims reinforcing
themselves why they shave and who for,” said Calita.
unattainable ideals? Rewrite your language to
The embrace of female body hair comes amid a broader
be less about meeting societal expectations,
push to reject unrealistic beauty standards, as seen
and more about doing things just for you.
with celebs like Pamela Anderson and Alicia Keys going
makeup-free on the red carpet, and with Ariana Grande → GET MESSY NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
opening up about her complicated relationship with lip Embrace the unfiltered, unapologetic, non-
fillers and Botox. conformist version of your brand or product. LO-FI DESIGN
The days of limitless travel are coming to a
close. Between overcrowded
destinations and careless tourist behavior,
a clear need for boundaries is giving rise
to tighter regulations and more mindful
business models. The shift from high-
volume to high-value travel will forever
change how we define a brag-worthy trip.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. UNTOURISM 123

“We have apps where we can count

how many countries we visited and
what percentage of Earth’s available GRASSROOTS ANTI-TOURISM EFFORTS

surface we covered. Our big challenge For years now, governments and city authorities have been introducing
measures to control tourism. But things aren’t changing fast enough for
is to educate people to travel in a frustrated locals across Europe, who are now stepping up their efforts

different way.” to deter tourists. A group in Athens plastered short-term rental buildings
with fake but official-looking posters that warn people to evacuate due
— Tatyana Tsukanova, research associate to a bedbug infestation; disgruntled residents of Vallcarca, Spain have
at EHL Hospitality Business School
started rotating the signs to the iconic Park Güell to send visitors in the
wrong direction; and a grassroots group in Amsterdam called "Stop de
BAD TOURIST CRACKDOWNS Gekte" (“Stop the madness”) patrols the red light district on weekends in
Destinations around the globe are growing increasingly fed up with rude, rowdy, and order to document rowdy tourist behavior and gain press coverage that
downright unacceptable tourist behavior—and they’re starting to do something they hope will spur government change. Despite the obvious economic
about it. In Bali, regular obscene acts by tourists have prompted the proposal of new need for tourism, cities that fail to put residents first can expect these
rules for visitors, including a ban on climbing its mountains, which are considered efforts to intensify in 2024 and beyond.
sacred and home to Hindu deities. Other no-no’s include touching holy trees,
swearing in public, scaling religious buildings, and interrupting Balinese ceremonies. VISITOR CAPS & TOURIST FEES
Similarly, Amsterdam launched a “stay away” advertising campaign last year that While some cities are still desperately trying to attract visitors, others are beginning to either turn them away or
discourages young people from traveling to the city for drinking, prostitution and make them pay. The Acropolis of Athens, Greece’s most popular archaeological site, now caps visits at 20,000 per
drugs. And last but not least, authorities from Spain’s Balearic Islands—which include day to combat overcrowding; Venice started limiting tour group sizes and charging day-trippers a €5 fee to enter
Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca—recently warned that drunk vacationers could be the city this year; and Bali also recently introduced a $10 tourist tax and is currently looking into a cap of seven
banned from the isles if they don’t keep their behavior in check. million tourists a year. These controls aim to not only reduce crowds, but to encourage longer visits and, most
importantly, improve quality of life for residents.
CARBON PASSPORTS
With all of the recent conversations around the travel industry’s devastating DIGITAL NOMAD GENTRIFICATION
environmental impact, it might be time to consider a new approach: carbon When the pandemic upended office norms, a wave of workers flocked to Mexico City—causing the city’s digital
passports. This idea, proposed by certified B-Corp Intrepid Travel, would mean that nomad population to nearly triple between 2019 and 2022. Now it’s locals who are paying the price. The influx of
travelers are assigned a yearly carbon allowance that they can’t exceed. In essence, foreigners has caused rent prices to double, putting stress on an already tight housing market and forcing
your yearly travel would be limited by your frequency and distance traveled. Intrepid longtime residents out of their own city. And rising costs are only half the story. Digital nomads are also altering
Travel’s report predicts that we will see carbon passports in action by 2040. In the the fabric of the city, leaving many Mexico City natives concerned about the erasure of their beloved culture.
meantime, the company is pushing people to make more eco-conscious travel plans With cities like Medellín, Colombia and Lisbon, Portugal facing a similar issue, Mexico City’s moves are being
by adding carbon labels to 500 of its most popular itineraries. watched closely. → For more, watch Backslash’s episode of Life on the Edge: Digital Nomad Gentrification
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. UNTOURISM 124

MANAGING THE FLOW

AVIATION RESTRICTIONS
The answer to overtourism isn’t to stop traveling altogether. Rather, it’s about
To protect the peace and serenity of nature, the US
redirecting the flow of tourists to create better balance. One country leading
has passed new regulations that will limit the flying of
by example is Japan, where officials are actively working to shift visitors away
planes and helicopters around nearly two dozen
from major hotspots like Tokyo and Kyoto and instead entice them to visit
national parks and monuments. Mount Rushmore
lesser-known rural areas. In these areas, the ministry plans to support local
National Memorial and Badlands National Park will
municipalities by promoting slower, more authentic experiences that you won’t
have some of the strictest rules, banning commercial
find in big cities—such as overnight stays in historic villages or quiet hikes on
air tours within one-half mile of the site boundaries by
untouched land. And with the majority of travelers in search of unique and
April 2024. Meanwhile, Glacier National Park is phasing
authentic experiences, Japan may not have to do much convincing after all.
out all sightseeing flights by the end of 2029.

CRUISE CONTROL
In July, Amsterdam banned cruise ships from docking
WHAT’S NE T
in the city center in an attempt to rein in mass
tourism. Besides the fact that cruise ships are heavy → POINT TO THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

polluters, Amsterdam officials say that cruise ship Companies can encourage travel to lesser-known destinations by

tourists typically only stay for a few hours and don’t reframing the unexpected itinerary as the most aspirational.

bring in any substantial business. And with over 18

→ SHOW THE WHOLE PICTURE
million visitors last year, the Dutch capital can afford
Beyond just stating the amount of CO2-e kg emitted, brands can get
to be picky. Blocking cruise ships has already proven
creative in how they communicate the holistic social, cultural, and
to be successful in Venice. In 2019, Venice was the
environmental impact of a particular trip.
most polluted European port due to large numbers of
cruise-ship visits. But after banning large cruise ships → QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
from entering the city’s waters, it dropped to 41st What if businesses rewarded travelers who book fewer, longer trips
place just two years later. and give back to the communities they visit?

One in two travelers are willing to change their travel plans to NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

reduce their carbon footprint, even if it’s more expensive or less THIRD PLACE GAMING
convenient. EXTENDED REALITY

— Intrepid Travel, 2023

A society disillusioned with false promises of wealth is
getting rich its own way. As trust in financial institutions
declines and calls for accessibility intensify, a growing
group of people will opt for the unconventional. On the
route to financial freedom, the rules of the road no
longer apply.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. WEALTH HACKING 126

FRACTIONAL REAL ESTATE SILICON VALLEY BANK COLLAPSE

For the growing number of people who can’t afford to buy a full home, buying a percentage In March 2023, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failed after a bank
of one is the next best thing. This being made possible through fractional investment run, marking the third-largest bank failure in United States
startups that allow prospective buyers to join investment pools and co-purchase a property history and the largest since the 2007–2008 financial crisis.
for just a few dollars down. Some players to watch include Lofty AI, which uses a token model To make matters worse, it was just one of three bank failures,
for people to buy in and lets them collect rent later that same day; reAlpha, which sells shares along with Silvergate Bank and Signature Bank, to occur that
in homes that serve as Airbnbs; and Landa, which lets people invest in shares valued as low same month. The public’s trust in the banking industry
as $5. Right now, fractional investing startups represent a relatively small niche in the real sharply dropped in the aftermath. According to one poll,
estate market, but according to Casey Berman, managing partner at venture capital firm only 10% of respondents said they have a “great deal” of
Camber Creek, the idea is “growing faster than it’s ever grown.” confidence in banking and financial institutions—down from
22% in 2020. Despite analysts reassuring people that the
ALTERNATIVE INVESTING APPS broader banking sector is healthy, the effects on economic
In times when the whole stock market is in the red, having your money in tangible assets growth and financial stability are expected to linger much
can feel like a safer bet. That’s precisely why alternative investing platforms are on the rise. longer than the headlines.
These platforms are democratizing a practice once reserves for elite investors, and there’s no
shortage of clever options. Vinovest lets users invest in bottles of wine and whiskey, offering
four investment tiers, starting at $1k. Masterworks gives investors access to multimillion-
dollar artworks by famous contemporary artists. AcreTrader offers ownership shares in US
farmland with a minimum investment of $10k. And Public lets users invest in everything from
Shrek music rights, to an Hermes Birkin bag, to a first-edition Harry Potter book. Since things
like fine art and wine don’t usually correlate with the stock market, these alternative
strategies are an attractive way to diversify your portfolio and mitigate risk.

Across 17 industries,
DOPPELGANGER INCOME
Imagine if you had a digital doppleganger to generate income on behalf. This AI twin could be
public trust in the
trained to think like you and act like, just hundreds of times more efficiently—freeing people financial services sector
from 40+ hour workweeks and potentially serving as a new funding source for Universal Basic
ranks second-lowest—
Income. Your day might go something like this: wake up, brief your digital doppleganger on
the day’s agenda, update it with the latest information, and then let it get to work while you
ahead of only social
get on with your life. As out-there as it might sound, startups like Dopple are already creating media companies.
the technology to make it happen. So prepare to sit back, relax, and let your virtual clone rake
— Edelman Trust Barometer 2024
in the dough.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. WEALTH HACKING 127

GENERATIONAL WEALTH INFLUENCERS BITCOIN ETF

Social media influencers are encouraging parents to add On January 10, 2024, US regulators reluctantly approved the first Bitcoin exchange-traded
their kid’s name to their credit card, insisting that it will funds (ETFs)—marking a long-awaited and much-needed win for the cryptocurrency
boost their child’s financial prospects by allowing them industry after nearly two years of turmoil. The approval is expected to thrust Bitcoin
to build credit before they even turn 18. So long as the further into the financial mainstream, making it so that investors can now own Bitcoin
parents pay their bills on time, anyway. While some card without having to use a cold wallet or open a separate account through a crypto-trading
issuers like Discover and American Express have minimum platform like Coinbase. For longtime fans of crypto, though, this integration with the
age limits in place for authorized credit card users, others traditional financial system could be a turn off. After all, the ETF makes Wall Street an
like Capital One and Citi allow children of any age to intermediary between investors and crypto, which directly contradicts a key part of
become authorized credit card users. Will it make your crypto’s appeal: an opportunity for skeptics to ditch Wall Street once and for all.
kid rich? Most likely not, though it could certainly give
them a nice head start.

BUYING UP ABANDONED AKIYA

Japan has more than 8 million abandoned homes but no
buyers—a result of the country’s shrinking population.
WHAT’S NE T
Now, foreigners are buying up these homes (also known → MAKE IT ATTAINABLE
as akiya) for less than $50,000 and renovating them for Explore alternative
personal use or for Airbnb rentals. “We would never have ownership models or flexible
been able to afford a house of this quality and size if it purchasing options that cater
wasn’t an akiya,” said Chihiro Thursfield, an Australian to a wide range of incomes.
who bought an empty home in Japan for 3 million yen,
or around $23,000. The Nomura Research Institute → UNLOCK LITTLE WINS NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

predicts that akiya could exceed 30% of all houses in Build in financial rewards and
Japan by 2033. Similar trends are unfolding around the income opportunities that COMMUNITY COMMERCE,
world, from Italy to Portugal, as people seek a more make people feel like they’re DECENTRALIZED SOCIAL
accessible gateway to homeownership. outsmarting the system. NON-FUNGIBLE EVERYTHING
A burnt-out workforce is putting life first. As
employees reassess their relationship with
work, rising demand for clear boundaries and
better protections will spur a modern-day
labor movement. Work-to-live is the new
mentality, and flexibility is the expectation.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. WORK-LIFE BOUNDARIES 129

BUILT-IN BOUNDARIES PROTESTS AGAINST PRODUCTIVITY PUSHING PATERNITY LEAVE

Workplace boundaries are going from employee-led to employer-led; from 2023 was the year anti-work movements took over social Just 17% of new fathers in Japan took child care leave in 2022, compared to
reactive to proactive; and from something that’s earned over time to media. Employees traded quiet quitting for “loud quitting” 80% of women. Hoping to close the gap, a health ministry panel is proposing a
something that’s given automatically. On a day-to-day level, building for —a much more dramatic exit where you openly vocalize your plan to increase child care leave allowance so that it covers 100% of income
boundaries means creating a culture where logging off early is not only allowed, frustrations before calling it quits; they decided to “act their —up from around 80%—if both parents each take 14 days of leave or more. This
but encouraged—a tactic that’s becoming increasingly common as employers wage” by doing whatever they considered to be a fair would directly address the biggest barrier to taking paternity leave: reduced
aim to lure in young talent. As of March 2023, more than 1,400 UK job postings amount of work for how much they were getting paid; they income. Men also say that competitive workplace culture makes it difficult to
mentioned “early-finish Fridays” as a benefit. Other companies, like Chinese embraced a slow, laid-back start to the week with “bare take such leave. But things are slowly starting to change. Real estate firm Daiwa
video-streaming provider Leshi, are implementing half-day Wednesdays in minimum Mondays”; and they glorified “lazy girl jobs” that Lease, for example, recently announced that it will offer ¥1 million ($6,600) for
order to help staff recharge midweek. Beyond weekly schedules, companies pay decently, can be done from home, and come with its male workers who take paternity leave of three months or longer. The health
should also be restructuring career paths at large to allow for built-in breaks— minimal stress. These trends mark a sharp pivot away ministry panel also discussed offering benefits to those who work shorter hours
debunking the idea that rest has to wait until retirement. This might include from hustle culture, proving that the new brag-worthy gig after a child is born.
encouraging sabbaticals for personal and professional development (an is the one that puts life first.
increasingly popular benefit), advocating for travel gaps, or even offering
grandparent leave for older employees who don’t want to miss out on OOO EMAIL FINES
quality family time. Dream 11, India’s biggest fantasy sports company, is making
sure that vacation time is respected in 2023. Through their
DITCHING THE DESK aptly named Unplug Policy, employees are encouraged to
Fed up with grueling schedules and high-pressure work environments, completely unplug from any form of work-related contact
a growing number of young people in China are quitting their corporate jobs for a whole week. Not only will they be removed from all
in favor of something more physical.The hashtag “my first experience with communication channels, but if a coworker calls, texts, or
physical labor” has amassed more than 28 million views on Xiaohongshu, with emails them during this sacred time, they’ll have to pay…
people celebrating their transition from tech worker to retail store cashier; literally. Anyone who ignores the OOO message will be hit
accountant to street food vendor; or marketing manager to delivery driver. with a stiff fine of 1 lakh ($1,200). Dream 11’s move comes as
Those who have made the voluntary switch to blue-collar work say they’re workers struggle to actually log off during their PTO.
enjoying the predictable hours and less competitive environment—even if it According to a recent poll from Fishbowl, 54% of
means taking a pay cut. This transition to manual labor also comes as professionals say they can’t fully unplug from work when
competition for white-collar jobs grows more intense. With China’s youth they take paid time off. With burnout on high, businesses
unemployment rate reaching 21% last summer, some are simply choosing to are rethinking their policies to ensure that time off serves
opt out of the rat race altogether. For others, the switch to physical labor is its purpose: rest, rejuvenation, and a much-needed break
serving as a temporary but much-needed break from the corporate grind. from emails.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. WORK-LIFE BOUNDARIES 130

BLUE-COLLAR FLEX “Rest is not the absence

Flexibility—long considered a white-collar privilege—is finally
of performance. It’s part
of performance. How do
making its way to non-office work. In Germany, for example, DIY
retailer Hornbach recently granted its 11,000 employees full
autonomy over when they work. Through an online portal, everyone we think about rest not
from office managers to warehouse workers can regularly adjust
to recharge after we
burn out, but to ensure
their hours based on if they want to be full-time or part-time, or if
they want to work longer shifts to create a four-day week. Similarly,
UK construction company Sir Robert McAlpine is running two our employees stay
different flexible working trials. On one site, workers have the
option to work longer hours Monday to Thursday so that they can
charged over time?”
leave at lunchtime on Friday. And on another site, workers get one — Brent Cassell, VP, Advisory at Gartner
“flex” day that they can take off every three weeks. Though there’s
still a ways to go—only 24% of non-office workers have seen
increased flexibility since the start of the pandemic, compared to
52% of knowledge workers—flexible schedules could very well be
the next frontier for blue-collar jobs.
WHAT’S NE T
WORK-FROM-GYM
→ PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
With co-working spaces like WeWork facing market tumult, gyms
Policies and benefits only go so far. If the company culture doesn’t
are capitalizing on the opportunity to attract remote workers—for a
foster clear work-life boundaries, employees will feel the pressure.
fee, of course. One sports complex leading the way is Chelsea Piers,
which recently added 4,000 square feet of co-working space to its → 360° FLEXIBILITY
new Brooklyn location. Elsewhere, gyms are adding desks and Flexibility is no longer just about when and where you work. It also
outlets to pool decks, phone booths to lounge areas, or even extends to pay packages, benefits, and team structures.
dedicating entire floors to workers. People who choose to work
from these fitness-centric locations say it allows them to toggle → REINFORCE BOUNDARIES THROUGH COMPANY TECH
between self-care and their job—making it easy to squeeze a NEXT TECHNOLOGIES
Instead of tracking when employees are offline, what if systems
pilates class or sauna session into their day. As more people grow alerted managers when their team members were working too much
tired of lonely home offices or overcrowded cafes, we could see a overtime? Or, for non-office workers, what if scheduling software THIRD PLACE GAMING

rise in third spaces that seamlessly merge work and wellness. allowed employees to set their own break times? EXTENDED REALITY
The always-on is getting some much-needed time off.
We’ve overstimulated and overstuffed our lives, and now
we’re collectively hitting the pause button to reconnect
with ourselves. Nothingness is our new ideology, and it’s
reshaping our values, our systems, and our consumption.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ZERO OUT 132

DEINFLUENCING SLEEP TOURISM

Those trendy new sunglasses that everyone is wearing? You don’t Tired of coming back from vacation even more
need them. With over 1.1 billion views on TikTok, #deinfluencing videos exhausted than when you left? You could probably
are saying no to consumerism and encouraging people to buy less, buy use a sleep vacation. While not entirely new, sleep
smarter, and make the most of what they already have. For tourism is booming thanks to a growing emphasis
@OliveBranchCottage it’s a PSA that “you don’t need to buy anything on rest—and hotels are taking note. Park Hyatt
you see online.” For @OldLoserInBrooklyn, it’s about being honest New York, for example, recently rolled out new
about the designer purchases she regrets. And for @CaitMM_, it’s a sleep suites with smart mattresses from Bryte
matter of decluttering your closet and encouraging people to “lose it that track your sleep metrics and adjust to your
or use it.” No matter the method, there’s an underlying creed—resisting ideal temperature. Meanwhile, London’s Cadogan
“buy, buy, buy” culture in favor of a less-is-more mindset. Hotel is introducing a “Sleep Concierge” service
that offers pillow mists, weighted blankets, and a
PRINT REVIVAL bedtime meditation session with their resident
An overload of screen time is giving print a chance to shine again. In sleep expert. Other upgrades to watch include
Japan, a growing number of artists and writers are saying “no” to social circadian lighting, lavender downturn services,
media and turning instead to small-scale, self-published works known sleepytime teas, and time-released aromatherapy
as “zines.” “It’s about the joy of having something I can hold in my infusions. As exhaustion spikes, sleep amenities
hands,” says one fan. Meanwhile, over in the US, newspapers are also will go from premium perks to travel essentials.
seeing a rise in print subscribers and iconic magazines like NYLON are
getting back in the print business after years of being solely digital. INFLUENCERS NOT WELCOME
For years, tourist destinations and restaurants
DAMP LIFESTYLES have been desperate to attract influencers. Now,
Young people are putting a damper on drinking. Damp drinking—a term they’re banning them. One example comes from a
coined by TikToker @hana.elson—is about “internalizing the fact that trendy new design shop and cafe in Brooklyn
drinking culture and your relationship with alcohol does not have to be called DAE, which recently introduced rules
black or white, all or nothing.” The idea is similar to intuitive eating, but prohibiting people from taking photos and videos
for liquor, where you take a more mindful approach to drinking and set due to “TikTok and Instagram photoshoots getting
boundaries in order to minimize the negative side effects. And more out of control.” A similar problem is occurring in
than half of Gen Z and Millennial drinkers are on board. As getting picturesque towns. Last September, a Vermont
wasted goes out of style, businesses will be forced to adapt town known for its autumn foliage ended up
accordingly. We’re already seeing brands like White Claw pivot to non- closing its roads to the public for the season due
alcoholic alternatives in response. Next, we could see entirely new to an overwhelming amount of influencer tourists.
nightlife concepts centered around mindfulness rather than alcohol.
 © 2024 TBWA\Worldwide. All rights reserved. ZERO OUT 133

DUMBPHONES LOFI GIRL

Fed up with being tied to their devices, more young are It’s no secret that music can have a wide range of mental and emotional effects. But now
trading out their do-it-all smartphones for minimalist more than ever, people are looking for music that mellows them out rather than hypes
dumbphones. Jose Briones, a “digital minimalism” content them up. Just look to the Lofi Girl YouTube account, a constant livestream of
creator and moderator of the 32,000-member r/ instrumental music that has more than 12 million subscribers and thousands of active
dumbphones subreddit, says that about 60% of the people listeners at any given moment. The account has become so popular, in fact, that major
that come to his page are looking for a solution to brands are tapping into its success. Nissan developed its own four-hour video inspired
smartphone dependency. One company aiming to by Lofi Girl’s look and sound, which has over 18 million views and counting. And Lego also
capitalize on the shift is Consumer Cellular, which offers a teamed up with Lofi Girl last year to create a chill hip-hop playlist that serves as perfect
flip phone that looks like it’s from 2008. Though a majority background music for building Legos.
of the network’s 4 million subscribers are currently 50 and
older, Consumer Cellular’s executives are betting that the
IRIS Flip will also appeal to members of Gen Z. And with
Kendrick Lamar’s limited-edition Light Phone 2 recently
WHAT’S NE T
selling out in a day, they just might be right.
→ TONE IT DOWN
What is the ‘“Zero Out” version of your product or experience? Think quieter, simpler,
sober, or totally unplugged.

→ PERMISSION TO DO LESS

Globally, 43% of Encourage people to say goodbye to abundance in every area of their life—whether

consumers believe that

by living with less or dialing back their commitments.

technology has → MAKE IT HUMAN

As AI is integrated into everything and anything, experiences that feel innately
complicated their lives human will offer a refreshing reprieve.

as much as it has
simplified some things. NEXT TECHNOLOGIES

— Accenture, The Human Paradox AMBIENT INTERFACES UNTETHERED AUDIO LO-FI DESIGN
NEXT
Ambient Interfaces Community Commerce
A new breed of ambient, always-on technologies are eliminating the need for A resurgence in community-focused commerce is offering an alternative
swiping, scrolling, or physical touch. These screen-free interfaces will make to the mass, undifferentiated world of e-commerce we currently know.
tech more omnipresent but less invasive, adding some refreshing variety to These niche, peer-to-peer marketplaces will offer consumers more

TECHNO-
our daily tech diet. engaging experiences that closely tie to their individuality and passions.

Assistive Robotics Connected Objects

Accessible and adaptive robotics are working in harmony with humans— The internet of things (IoT) is becoming a reality—changing how our

LOGIES
taking over daily to-do’s, helping us overcome physical limitations, and devices and utilities interact, allowing for more seamless cross-platform
opening the door to more sustainable and inclusive solutions. experiences. Brands can deepen affinity by unlocking greater efficiency
and control for their customers.
Avatar Identities
The more time we spend in virtual environments, the greater the need to Decentralized Social
express our individuality. Avatars and digital doubles are allowing us to Online communities are shifting to decentralized social spaces, token-
present ourselves in a more fluid way, embracing the many aspects of our gated communities and blockchain technology. Creating new forms of
identity both anonymously and pseudonymously. social structure built from co-creation and co-ownership.

Bespoke LLMs Extended Reality

We now have the ability to create bespoke AI applications for personal use. Augmented, virtual and mixed reality experiences are bridging our digital
We can harness the power of large-language models and vast data sets to and physical worlds. These technologies will allow brands to create
deliver on-demand personalization and serve as helpful assistants for tasks immersive environments where play, self-expression and discovery go
both big and small. beyond one dimension.
NEXT
Generative AI Spatial Computing
Giant leaps in the progression and availability of generative AI tools are driving The future of experience is spatial with new hardware and technology
a shift from purely logical, task-oriented applications to more artful, previously allowing us to extend our surroundings and senses. Through experiences
impossible outputs. A more generative approach to creativity is expanding our that seamlessly blend with physical environments, spatial computing will

TECHNO-
canvas and allowing anyone to create. allow us to interact with immersive content like it's part of the real world.

Lo-Fi Design Tactile Haptics

Lo-fi design is opening the door to new creative avenues. Brands can tap into Haptic technology is bringing a sense of touch to virtual experiences—

LOGIES
this frugal, no-frills approach by encouraging users to hack and remix existing further breaking down the barriers of immersion and realism and raising
products, playing with intentional imperfections, or embracing low-tech the bar for sensory experiences.
innovation.
Third-Place Gaming
Modular Design Gaming has become a “third place” where we spend our time socializing,
Modularity is marking the end of one-size-fits-all design. Whether to reduce shopping, learning, and escaping—allowing us to live alternative lives
environmental impact or help people express their individuality, these modular beyond what's possible in reality. No longer just a source of
products and services will allow brands to serve a wider range of needs. entertainment, it has become a place of communal connection, self-
expression and active discovery.
Neural Control
The brain can now interact with technology, opening up new possibilities for Untethered Audio

how we experience existing environments while allowing people with mobility Audio-first experiences are on the rise as people seek a reprieve from

limitations to carry out essential tasks. We're closer to experiencing the true screen time. Brands have the opportunity to own a unique voice and

power of mind control—for fun as well as for good. create deeper engagement through sound.

Non-Fungible Everything (NFTs) Worldbuilding

NFTs have evolved from static digital-art collectibles to rewarding community As the brand ecosystem grows and canvases expand, we can now build

environments—unlocking access to exclusive groups and experiences that are entire universes that deepen connection to ideas, characters, or intricate

built on trust and transparency via the blockchain. narratives. Worldbuilding will gives us new ways to engage with
audiences and go beyond what ordinary storytelling is capable of.
THE REGIONAL LEADS & KEY CONTRIBUTORS
BACKSLASH STRATEGY
Cecelia Girr \ Director of Cultural Strategy \ Editor
Skyler Hubler \ Senior Cultural Strategist \ Writer AFRICA + MIDDLE EAST NORTH ASIA

TEAM
Johnny Thai \ Junior Cultural Strategist Aneeta Aby, TBWA\RAAD Yee Ching Wong, TBWA\Hong Kong
Ekta Parsotam, TBWA\South Africa Patrycja Sojka, TBWA\Hakuhodo
BACKSLASH OPERATIONS & PRODUCTION Rui Pu, TBWA\Shanghai
Dana Fors \ Director of Operations EUROPE
Derrick DeBlasis \ Producer Francesca Corbia, TBWA\Italia SOUTH + SOUTH EAST ASIA
Jason Lauckner \ Producer \ Editor Peter Kormanyos, TBWA\Neboko Jin Wong, TBWA\Worldwide
Raul Moreno, TBWA\España Vhinasyhah Raja Gopal, TBWA\Malaysia
DESIGN
Bruno Regalo \ Chief Design Officer LATAM OCEANIA
Monica Gelbecke \ Design Business Lead Sofia Hoffman, TBWA\Worldwide Renata Yannoulis, TBWA\Sydney
Alessandra Horn \ Associate Production Director Isabel Geo, Lew’Lara\TBWA
Thiago Matsunaga \ Associate Digital Design Director Elizabeth Valencia, TERAN\TBWA NEXT
Matthew Moran, TBWA\Worldwide, NEXT
DATA NORTH AMERICA Charlotte Huntley, TBWA\Worldwide, NEXT
Michael Horn \ Global Head of Data Product Sam Nipius, Juniper Park\TBWA
Kelly Davis \ Data Product Director Hannah Schweitzer, TBWA\Chiat\Day
Nuria Pelarda \ Data Analyst

TBWA\WORLDWIDE
Alyson Stevens \ Head of Connected Intelligence
To our dedicated Spotter network, our
engine of global insight—thank you for
Jen Costello \ Global Chief Strategy Officer
Luke Eid \ Chief Innovation Officer \ NEXT
Troy Ruhanen \ President & CEO looking to the future with us.
ABOUT US
Backslash is a cultural intelligence unit powered by a global network
of over 300 Culture Spotters from 70 offices across the TBWA
collective. Together, we closely observe and analyze worldwide
developments so that TBWA—and our clients—can better
understand and anticipate cultural change.

Through a dynamic hybrid of strategy, data, and journalism,

Backslash turns today’s stories into tomorrow’s opportunities.

Discover more at backslash.com

and find us on Instagram @tbwabackslash.
For inquiries, please contact [email protected]